Bees in danger

There has been a constant hum on the ceonothus today with dozens of little bees. The long probiscus of this bee can be seen sucking up the nectar while the honey sac on its leg looks fairly full. 

How much longer will we see so many bees around now that the Department of the Environment are consider lifting the ban on bee-killing pesticides in spite of advice from environmentalists.  Already bees and other pollinators have declined greatly which has serious implications on food production as well as garden flowers and causing great damage to our ecosystems.  There are limits to the plants that can be wind pollinated and in parts of China there are now insufficient pollinators so in the important fruit orchard area trees are having to be individually pollinated by hand.

Bees really are important to the economy and I hope I will continue to see many of these buff tail bees and the other kind of bees which visit the garden.