Why are there so few dandelions in North Central Illinois this year?

I live in North Central Illinois. I just noticed that this year there are almost no dandelions in anyone's yard. Normally I would see them everywhere but I've only seen a handful. We have had an odd summer this year. We went from warm with an abundance of rain that delayed crop planting to below normal temperatures. I'm curious if anyone else has seen this observation elsewhere?

HankDorsett said:

almost no dandelions in anyone's

..., plus abundance of grasshoppers (locusts); every year is different and has its own identity.

Bystander said:

..., plus abundance of grasshoppers (locusts); every year is different and has its own identity.

An abundance of crickets for us. I understand that every year could be different but this is the first time that I've noticed this.

HankDorsett said:

North Central Illinois.

NE Colorado, same-same---hadn't noticed it until you pointed it out; c'est la vie.

HankDorsett said:

I just noticed that this year there are almost no dandelions in anyone's yard.

It's very late in the season - they emerge in late spring/early summer. You don't expect many now.

Vanadium 50 said:

It's very late in the season - they emerge in late spring/early summer. You don't expect many now.

It's been like this all year

HankDorsett said:

It's been like this all year

Colorado every year, this year from winter to summer in mid-May (?); my locust trees have "learned" not to leaf out too early (seven of nine, actually) the other two are freeze-kill.

Dandelions ? Holidaying in UK, I fear: My garden's over-run...

It is not just dandelions that are "missing", birds really are dying off:
https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2019/09/18/science.aaw1313Decline of the North American avifauna, Rosenberg et al,
Science 19 Sep 2019: eaaw1313 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw1313

3 billion fewer birds now , which is 29% less than the 1970 abundance.

Insects populations are also in steep decline:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/...line-scientists-are-trying-to-understand-why/Based on Ensia article dated Nov 1 2018 , M Hoff

I do not miss the dandelions at all. I've always had far more than my share.

I have been worried about the disappearance of insects and flowering plants in general this year our Virginia sweet spire was utterly devoid of pollinators which is usually a pollinator magnet. Here dandelions have long been replaced by the far worse Chinese lespedeza that has adapted to bloom at lawn height.

I have suspected the use of lawn chemicals and the spread of more insidious nonnative plants such as chinese lespedeza for a while in replacing native and naturalized plants (note that dandelions are naturalized plants originally brought over as food) These sorts of small changes are important as they may be a piece in the much larger ecological problem in particular dandelions at least provide a source of nectar for pollonators unlike the desolate ecological deserts known as "lawns".

Anecdotally their seems to be consistent correlation between those activities and pollinator declines but it isn't really rigorous as it is limited to one location and correlation does not equal causation.
Ultimately though it seems to get worse year after year which makes me worry this is only the "canary in the coal mine". The use of biocides over scalping of "lawns" indroduction of more destructive weeds, irregular patterns of droughts, sudden swings in the weather between extremes hot cold wet dry etc. all come to mind as possible factors.

Update. After two 90-degree days with rain they started popping up. Unfortunately the 65 degree days following didn't help them seed out.

HankDorsett said:

I live in North Central Illinois. I just noticed that this year there are almost no dandelions in anyone's yard. Normally I would see them everywhere but I've only seen a handful. We have had an odd summer this year. We went from warm with an abundance of rain that delayed crop planting to below normal temperatures. I'm curious if anyone else has seen this observation elsewhere?

yes have notice we have none this year in upstate NY

Again, holidaying in UK ?? Patio cracks, 'floral border', lawn if not mown for a week.

Sprouted early and often...

But, not enough for the 'Dandelion Wine' my father would home-brew...

Same situation in Ontario, Canada from southerly Toronto to 250 miles north. No dandelions! Do dandelions require pollinators?

Here in UK, I've had yet-another crop of large & small dandelions...
Weird, or what ??

Alastair Gordon said:

Do dandelions require pollinators?

Yes they do.
That's why the have flowers.

Germination requirements for buried Taraxacum seed populations: usually stratification one week of below freezing nights is sufficient:
https://www.heirloom-organics.com/guide/va/guidetogrowingdandelion.html

The onset of anthesis (flowering) for Taraxacum spp: 8 to 21 days after last frost:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7650721/

So, aside from pollinators, if it was much drier and/or hotter dandelion populations could have gotten turned off for "normal" flowering. Pollinators tend to affect next years populations. Not this years.

I cannot know specifically what local weather conditions contributed to your observations.

PS: you can grow dandelions in your garden - the leaves are fully edible (minus dog pee in parks so wash 'em well) Commercial seed companies like Burpee, Legacy Food storage.... google for "dandelion seeds" for your locale. This means you have more control over growing conditions.

Nutrition data:
https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169227/nutrients

I'll be darned. Here in Central NY, I think this is the first time in the 30 years that I've lived here that they haven't covered my yard at some point in the summer. I didn't even notice 'til you pointed it out.

Mid-europe: after the early spring bloom-boom it's common that they vanish for summer. They starting to pop up here and there late summer, but just sporadically.
Guess they have a root-workout time.
Though last year we seen some blooming in December.

This year we have one of our cherry tree blooming (just a few flowers, but even so...).
I mean, right now. It's blooming.

Plants feels a bit ... confused.