I’ve seen honey bees do this in the past at other sites, to a degree, but never to the extent that they are exploiting cracks from rain and drill holes form yellow jackets to harvest the flesh of my fruit this season. Bumble bees are all over it too, but at least plenty of them are also laboring at collecting pollen- the honey bees seem to be fruitarians on my property this year. They are actually doing some damage to fruit that has plenty of good part away from cracks. Once they start chowing down rot follows almost instantly.
Just another reason that they are not my favorite pollinators. They are also lazy when it comes to getting out of the hive on cool wet days and are often no shows on days my carpenter bees are all over fruit blossoms in my orchard in spring.
It is nice to see so many around though. For a few years there were none.
I, too, am a bit disappointed in honey bees as pollinators. The whole reason I got into bee keeping a few years ago was the idea that it would result in much higher pollination rates. My hives are literally at the center of my orchard- mere feet away from all my trees. Yet during bloom season, I’ve been astonished at how few honey bees I see on my tree blooms. They like Cherry pretty well, but even with them they very clearly prefer to forage from the clover blooms on the ground under the trees. I almost never see them on Peach blooms and rarely on plums, apples are a little better but not a strong attractant. Same thing goes for watermelon blooms- small bumbles bees are a constant presence on watermelon blooms but honey bees don’t bother very often. In short, in spite of having bee hives in the middle of my orchard, 90$ of my pollination comes from mason bees, bumble bees, and other small flying things that work my blooms. I know I must be the exception to the rule since I always see people talking about the importance of honey bees to pollination, but where I live they prefer soybeans and clover 100 to 1 over fruit blooms.
The problem with bumble bees is that they don’t get numbers up here until after petal fall of last apples. The carpenters are interesting- they overwinter in the wood trim of my house (non structural) fence posts, etc and appear right when they are most needed. Then by sometime in mid-summer they pretty much disappear- which used to scare me. I also have plenty of syrphid flies, mason bees and other small bees so that pollination in my orchard has never been an issue. I try to make sure that there are flowering hosts for the full length of the season- not just to get things pollinated but for the shear joy of watching them work the blossoms.
In the last ten years I have seen more animals than ever before. Eagles, River Otters, swans, loons. None of which were ever around in my youth. Eagles near Detroit? Yes, they are coming back! Falcons all over too.
I also keep stuff blooming all year. My sedum flowers will be ready in a week. Borage, Chives, onions just finished. First time I grew some for seed. I have zinnia’s all over too, and Nasturtium also. Peppers and tomatoes too.
Unfortunately the picture globally may not be so rosy. I believe we are in the midst of a major wave of species’ extinction. I haven’t delved into the details because it’s too depressing- I just try to do as little harm as reasonably possible- keep my life simple and unencumbered with too many industrial products. .
Extinction creates opportunity. It’s sad, but has been happening for 4 billion years. We have little say in it. The largest living animal ever is still alive today, much bigger than dinosaurs. Amazing it is still here.Surprising as we will lose many large animals no doubt. That would be the sperm whale. They prefer ice free waters, so they should be good! Not endangered, considered vulnerable, but populations are very large and in every sea except two. Mass extinctions happen, we are very due for one.
How do you reckon that? Homo sapiens are born species slayers. First we likely killed off other human species in pretty short order wherever we appeared, then we finished off most large sized mammals, including mammoths and giant sloths- and this occurred when there were only a couple million of us. Now we are close to 7 billion and use far more resources (take more space ecologically) per capita than any time in our history. Either we wise up or perish, unless some mysterious unexplained power intervenes. Oh well, as you say- species come and go. But I’m a bit attached to my own, killer instincts and all.
You always amaze me in your sanguine take on the ecological insignificance of mankind- have you ever taken a long plane trip and looked out the window?. I wonder on what this confidence is based since you’ve already stated that you don’t believe in an immortal super-hero whose whole motivation for existence is looking out for the welfare of our species just to see who chooses to be “good”.
Meanwhile, back to honey bees. I’m happy to take it to the lounge if you are interested.
Too busy to notice this year, but I have never noticed honey bees ever attacking fruit. They are around and swarms have tried to set in outbuildings and I have otherwise seen them. I am in NW FL zone 8b. I often see them on warm late fall and early winter days pollinating with other insects my loquats. I see them in my early pears and apples that can often bloom in January and February to be sure. It is the wasps one finds in pears for my area. Pears are the easiest thing to grow here. Lots of native bees here abouts also.