Over thirty years ago when I started to keep bees, I remember a map of the United States that showed the US broken up into regions depending on what was the main nectar source was for that area. For me here in Southern Maryland, our area was called the tulip popular region. For many years we did real good with the nectar flow from tulip popular. It was a dark honey with a nice taste; not a strong taste that you might expect from a dark honey.

For the past 15 years at least, we got no tulip popular honey. We talked about it at our beekeeper meetings (Association of Southern Maryland Beekeepers). During the past several years I have watched a tulip popular tree that is right next to my deck. Anytime I looked I saw no bees on the large tulip shaped flowers. No one seemed to know why but we all recognized that the bees weren’t working the tulip trees. I was asked if I checked early in the morning. I hadn’t. The following year I checked at all times of the day. No bees; only an occasional insect would come by to inspect the flowers. 

I live on a small tidal pond next to a large river. As a young boy and for a short while after I got married, we ice skated on this pond every winter. It has not frozen over enough for ice skating for many years. 

It recently occurred to me that the warming we are experiencing may have an effect on the tulip popular trees. Maybe the trees need a long hard freeze to produce the nectar. The only things I am sure of is that the weather is warming and the bees are not working the tulip popular trees.  Has anybody else noticed changes like this with their plants or trees?

Bill Bartlett

19124 Lake Drive

Leonardtown, Maryland 20650

[log in to unmask]


******************************************************
* Full guidelines for BEE-L posting are at:          *
* http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm  *
******************************************************