Balsam

[plumber rob]

THE HB is starting to flower where i am
anyone else?

 

[Les]

Noticed two flowers open in Bolton last Wednesday - quite a few random ones open now around Rochdale also got some Rosebay Willow Herb open.

 

[BeeNice]

Thats amazing, August September last year, have to have a closer look when I walk the dog next.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Rosebay willowherb is out here, very early

 

[Foxylad]

Bolsam was a main flow when i was back in Yorkshire. Unfortunately none in Norfolk. Didn't remember it being this early though.

 

[viridens]

First 3 levels of flowers out here too very early, but plants are stunted by the drought and not the usual height or size.

 

[susbees]

No HB here, willowherb not showing any flower heads. Loads of clover doing not very much.

 

[iball]

I noticed Balsam at the M60/A627M roundabout between Rochdale and Oldham yesterday.

Ian

 

[moby]

THE HB is starting to flower where i am
anyone else?

Noticed some Balsam on my way to work unfortunately 25 miles too far away form my bees

 

[Gardenbees]

Yes - some HB plants are flowering in Stroud alongside the canal. Most are nothing like ready to flower yet, though. There is lots of willowherb and hemlock water-dropwort in flower - both v popular with my bees, who live about 500m from the canal. Last time I walked along the towpath they, and my neighbour's dark bees, were all hard at work.

I'm assuming some of them were mine, anyway: they have quite distinctive stripes, and they all made a beeline back to my garden!

It's easy to tell if they've been at the balsam: the telltale heavy coating of off-white pollen makes them look almost ghostly.

 

[Firefly]

Mine were coming back last night with huge loads of almost fluorescent orange pollen (and spilling it everywhere). Is that distinctive? What could it be? The exterior of the hive was stacked up like Heathrow waiting for landing spots, though some of the landings looked more like WW2

 

[Firefly]

Just found this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollen_source

Looks as if Asparagus is a candidate; or Marigold. I'll see if I can follow them

 

[Ellem]

I don't have HB near me (that I've noticed!) but the privet has just come into bloom. (Was late August last year)

My buddleia has barely produced any flower heads though and what are there don't look anywhere near ready to bloom! (They were well & truly full this time last year)

 

[DanBee]

Just found this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollen_source

Not entirely useful; plant names and flowering times are from a US perspective, and the colour charts vary with monitor/printer calibration and bias.

You're better off with a copy of Kirk's A Colour Guide to the Pollen Loads of the Honey Bee or Dorothy Hodges' Pollen Loads of the Honey Bee; both cover UK & European plants, the former has more varieties covered arranged in colour order (IIRC), the latter has slightly fewer arranged by season but is out of print and originals are pricey.

For £4, Kirk's pollen identification cards are very good - better than the poorly printed similar cards I've seen elsewhere. Good colour reproduction and laminated, fits in a pocket or toolbox.

 

[Teemore]

Haven't noticed any balsam so far... I was taken to see fushia in flower the other evening - those plants normally flower at the start of September.

 

[Swarm]

My Fuchsia has begun to flower. Noticed Willowherb in full flower where I was working today.

Buddleia is nice for butterflies but no use to bees.

 

[Adam]

I've seen Ragwort out as well.

Adam

 

[cht78]

I am startled to read threads promoting the dispersal of balsam....short sighted and totally irresponsible.......anyone who has activly done this should be ashamed!!!!!!

 

[madasafish]

Our balsam is not yet out. Lots of it around. No need to disperse it : does the job itself very well.

Most of ours is under trees and hence does not compete with anything else...

 

[Otleybee]

I am startled to read threads promoting the dispersal of balsam....short sighted and totally irresponsible.......anyone who has activly done this should be ashamed!!!!!!

Why? The bees love it. From what I have seen it needs no help dispersing and is spectacularly successful all on its own!!