WHERE HAVE ALL THE BUTTERFLIES GONE?

by FRANCES
( GA )

I HAVE ENJOYED MY GARDEN FOR 15 YEARS AND THE BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLIES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS IN THE GARDEN. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED THIS YEAR. BACK IN EARLY SPRING THERE WERE A FEW THAT CAME TO VISIT BUT WAS QUICKLY GONE, AND SINCE THEN I HAVE SEEN ONLY ONE AND THAT WAS JUST THIS WEEK FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES AND HE WAS GONE.

ALSO A FEW MONTHS AGO I WAS RETURNING HOME FROM SHOPPING AND AS I PULLED INTO THE DRIVE WAY I NOTICED DEAD HONEY BEES LAYING EVERYWHERE. I PARKED THE CAR AND RETURNED TO WHERE THE BEES WERE FINDING 3 OR 4 STILL ALIVE. I LOVE THE GOOD HONEY THEY MAKE AND THEY TOO ARE IN MY FLOWER GARDEN BUT NOT THIS YEAR, SO I GATHERED UP THE LIVE ONES AND CARRIED THEM TO SOME OF MY FLOWERS HOPING THEY WOULD MAKE IT. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY DID OR NOT. WHAT COULD HAVE KILLED SO MANY AT ONE TIME? IT BREAKS MY HEART NOT TO HAVE THE BUTTERFLIES AND BEES HERE. IS THIS NORMAL? WE LIVE IN NORTH EAST GEORGIA AND HAVE 7 TO 8 MONTHS OF WARM TO HOT WEATHER. I'M REMINDED OF THE STRANGE STORY ABOUT THE BIRDS DYING IN THE WESTERN PART OF OUR COUNTRY EARLIER THIS YEAR. IF YOU HAVE ANY ANSWERS COULD YOU PLEASE SHARE THEM WITH ME. I DO HOPE ALL RETURNS SOON FOR THEY SO MUCH PART OF MY GARDEN. FRANCES

Answer: Great question Frances! There certainly seems to be a decline, at least in the Southeast.
I did a little research and it seems like there's much speculation about the problem.

Answers range from GMO (genetically modified seeds) which have no pollen thus starving the bees, from cell phone use to toxic overload from the environment.

It doesn't sound like anyone knows for sure, but I suspect it could be a combination of all the above (except maybe cell phone use.)

Part of the answer seems to be to do more organic gardening and use more earth friendly products.

It certainly wouldn't hurt the situation and might just help.

The Georgia Dept of Agriculture might have a better answer. As you're doing research, the best place to get good answers in through the smaller colleges like Ohio State University.

Here's a link that you might find helpful.

Death of Bees