Bees and Bluebells

[MerryBee]

My hives are in a semi shaded clearing on the edge of a wood, and at the moment are surrounded by bluebells. It is very pretty, but I have never seen the bees take any interest in the bluebells .... until today. Today there were loads of bees on the bluebells, clearly collecting pollen, a very pale cream colour, rather than nectar. Something to do with the odd weather we are having perhaps? I am in a rural area and OSR is in full flower nearby.

 

[kazmcc]

I think osr needs certain temps for nectar production ( but don't hold me to that, it was something someone mentioned last week, I could be wrong ). I don't think I've ever seen a bee of any kind on bluebells, but then we only have the Spanish ones here ( that I know of )

Your apiary sounds lovely!!

 

[dpearce4]

I have seen honey bees on the bluebells in my front garden every year, not my bees as they are to far though.

whats the diff between the native and Spanish bluebells. thought it was only native ones I didn't know we had imported from spain.

 

[kazmcc]

Native bluebells are a bit more delicate and only have flowers down one side of the stem. Spanish bluebells are more robust. Spanish have mostly blue anthers, native white although that can vary.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Native bluebell has flowers on one side of stem so the whole thing droops in a curve. Yellow/cream pollen. Spaniard has flowers all round stem and stands upright. Pollen is blue. They hybridise.

 

[MerryBee]

My bluebells are the lovely delicate native bluebells, as confirmed by the pollen colour.

 

[Swarm]

My bluebells are the lovely delicate native bluebells, as confirmed by the pollen colour.

Don't believe the myth that bees don't work Bluebells, they will work them heavily and like everything else it depends on the right conditions. I live very near to a large expanse of Bluebells and when I still had some colonies at home this time of year would find them piling it in. 2011 was a particularly good year, plenty of cream pollen and a strong, heady smell from the hives.

Apparently there is no scent to the ugly spanish type.

 

[beeno]

Hi Swarm,
I am pleased to learn that the bees work the native blue bells as mine have to make do with the Spanish variety.

 

[bontbee]

Perhaps we all ought to dig up the Spanish ones (unless they're in a garden?), before they hybridize too far with the natives and it's too late and we've lost another gem...

 

[misterbee82]

Here we have them love lavender bushes and lilacs. For the record I have never seen bluebells in the United States

 

[Tom Bick]

My hives are in a semi shaded clearing on the edge of a wood, and at the moment are surrounded by bluebells. It is very pretty, but I have never seen the bees take any interest in the bluebells .... until today. Today there were loads of bees on the bluebells, clearly collecting pollen, a very pale cream colour, rather than nectar. Something to do with the odd weather we are having perhaps? I am in a rural area and OSR is in full flower nearby.

I have a couple of hives within a nature reserve and the woods covered in bluebells at the moment and also seldom see my bees working them. I was recently told that they only produce nectar for a few days so the window of opportunity is very short and at a time there is plenty of rich offerings to be had elsewhere. I guess like most things if the bluebells produce and the bees have little else or decide it's going to be the bluebells today they are all over them. It's never a problem and happy the bluebells do more good to us than the bees.

 

[Obee1]

I have loads of bluebells in the garden and the bees were working them this weekend. Apparently though I have Spanish ones. Who knew! When I went to the talk at Cardiff Beeks about some welsh honey having manukalike medicinal properties - one of the plants bees use to produce it is bluebell.

 

[Swarm]

medicinal properties - one of the plants bees use to produce it is bluebell.

Correct, if you look at forage analysis graphs you will be surprised at the amount they contribute to the whole. It would be good to see the Spanish ones destroyed but that's not going to happen and so we risk the demise of another gem. 50% of the Worlds Bluebells are in Britain.

 

[Goodwood]

Got both spring and summer honey put up against cl.difficile and MRSA a couple of years ago with Prof Les Baillie at the Cardiff School of Pharmacy. They both showed good antibacterial activity Against both these "superbugs" in common with a lot of local Welsh honeys. We have acres of ancient woodland here, full of bluebells and wild garlic, which, after speaking to Prof Baillie, are the main pollens found in the most active honey.
We have over the years ripped up any Spanish invaders we have found in our grounds to try and preserve the indigenous bluebell.
The bees pile into the woods usually after the bluebells, but then the blooming cold aweather is slowing them down a bit atm.....

 

[Obee1]

Got both spring and summer honey put up against cl.difficile and MRSA a couple of years ago with Prof Les Baillie at the Cardiff School of Pharmacy. They both showed good antibacterial activity Against both these "superbugs" in common with a lot of local Welsh honeys. We have acres of ancient woodland here, full of bluebells and wild garlic, which, after speaking to Prof Baillie, are the main pollens found in the most active honey.
We have over the years ripped up any Spanish invaders we have found in our grounds to try and preserve the indigenous bluebell.
The bees pile into the woods usually after the bluebells, but then the blooming cold aweather is slowing them down a bit atm.....

Which type of bluebell pollen did prof baillie find in the antibacterial honey?

 

[Into the lions den]

Had two permanent apiaries right in classic bluebell woods (English bluebells that is....hyacinths...Scottish bluebells are what the English call a Harebell...a campanula) and apart from a little pollen they have never worked them to any extent. Over 100 acres of solid blue...and barely a bee to be seen. Only there if they are desperate.

 

[Swarm]

Maybe in your neck of the woods (so to speak ) but not the case here. When the Bluebells are out and it's normal Spring weather, only a casual glance and you will see bee after bee.
DNA analysis of our honey revealed Bluebells within the top five forage plants.

Obee1, That would bee the proper Bluebells.

 

[REDWOOD]

There is a small woods behind my apiary that is full of bluebells, Ill check it out this spring

 

[Erichalfbee]

Our native bluebells in the apiary field are foraged in the sunshine.

 

[Swarm]

They are starting to spring up.