Reply to: [log in to unmask] They say that roaches would survive a nuclear winter. At any rate, they are still in plentiful supply here, along with gnats, mosquitoes and fire ants. But I agree, populations of many pollinators are dropping. Right now, in many areas is a good time to get a rough evaluation. Find a patch of goldenrod or aster in full bloom. If you can find a sold patch, say 3x3m, you can get some consistancy from one area to another. Stand still and count for one minute, the members of each species you see. This should be done on a day when conditions are favorable for insect activity. I do it several times and average. I realize this is not very scientific, there are too many variables. But there is a lot of value in just observation, particularly when you compare different areas and different years. Both goldenrod and aster are very high producers of nectar, so, if there are pollinators in the area, they will be drawn to these blooms. I've been watching this type of activity for several years. Three years ago, I made an X across South Carolina, and did a rough survey along those two lines NE to SW and NW to SE. I found that there are "holes," especially on the coastal plain, where there are no honeybees at all (and right now I won't go into the possible reasons). I find this of serious concern, as an environmental problem, but few here seem to care. Bees have an image problem; they aren't lovable enough. Bombus numbers are declining too, although I did not find any areas where they were completely absent. There were a few areas with very high concetrations of solitary bees. Of course these are not always general pollinators: some are more or less adapted to a single food source or season, and are dormant the rest of the year. Interestingly goldenrod will draw a lot of wasps, and sometimes blowflies, that are never seen on any other flower. Perhaps it is the rank odor that draws these scavengers. Goldenrod is so good for honeybees that the resource is not fully utilized. I remember walking between two bee yards that were about a half mile apart, during the peak of bloom. Bees covered the plants within a couple hundred yards of the apiaries, but thinned out rapidly, and in the middle there were virtually no bees. (Upstate NY near Buffalo) Goldenrod is just opening here in SC, so I haven't gotten into it this year. I'll keep you posted. I'd also love to hear from others on this. Northern goldenrod may be finishing up now, but aster should be in full swing. :) News release: The last medfly in California died in a tragic accident last week. Ten million of his buddies came winging in from the Mediterranean to attend the wake.