December Varroa

[Millet]

It's warmer this month than i can ever remember, when walking the dog on a night i'm sweating instead of being cold and the Cianthus is still in flower for the first time ever in December, if that's normal i don't know what is anymore..

 

[Erichalfbee]

Cianthus is still in flower for the first time ever in December,

]

It would be interesting to see if your Californian Lilac blooms at its roughly normal time next year.
I've got Spring blossom on some shrubs now

PS. it's Ceanothus.....age makes gardeners of us

 

[Swarm]

Theres been the odd warmish day, but otherwise......................

Changed over a cable in Blaenafon two weeks back and was frozen to the core, I kid you not. I haven't been cold like that in a long while, not the cold extremities type but the sort that you feel inside, in your bones.

 

[Millet]

PS. it's Ceanothus.....age makes gardeners of us

They seems to be two ways to spell it but i always get it wrong,

 

[beeno]

Beeno,
Have you never experienced temps like this before? I've worked outside for nearly 40 years and I can tell you that this is not a special year. We've had 'warm' Winters in the past but that didn't seem to have any adverse effect on the bees, after their Autumn treatment.
Forget counting mites and calculating, it just ain't accurate unless you run in laboratory conditions and doubtful even then. Do their treatments and then leave them alone, we interfere enough during the season. The Solstice is a mere couple of weeks away, never mind temps, day length and Sun position tell the bees it's Winter.

Hi Swarm,
With all due respect I take the met office's stats on this one. They may not be very good at forecasting, but their record keeping is accurate.

 

[Swarm]

Is it? For what part of the country? Do they record things like wind chill? Very important consideration for anything outdoors but met office stations are sheltered locations.
I remember being told how dry things had been, below average rainfall and reservoirs on the verge of drying up, all this while the rain was coming down constantly for a period of several weeks. This Summer alone we had just two days where temps could be considered above average, how about the S.East?

Was going to count some more varroa, but they had blown away!

I see from your post above in WDYDITAT that some 'weather' has actually come your way
Another reason to abandon the varroa calculator.

I stand by my earlier statement, ie day length/ Sun position.

 

[BeeJayBee]

met office stations are sheltered locations.

Heat islands! Most weather stations are on asphalt.

 

[bpmurray]

I tend to agree about the unseasonably warm weather: I've seen numerous squished frogs on the road, presumably on their way to water to breed, something they shouldn't be considering for another couple of months yet.

 

[beeno]

Nice warm weather again and very calm. Lots of large pollen loads going in white, yellow and orange. Some of the yellow having the texture of Evening Primrose.

 

[Millet]

I thought the Orange loads where propalis but obviously some pollen's are also Orange.

 

[pargyle]

I thought the Orange loads where propalis but obviously some pollen's are also Orange.

Orange pollen at this time of the year is still likely Ivy .. Still a bit early for the crocus.

 

[Arfermo]

Changed over a cable in Blaenafon two weeks back and was frozen to the core, I kid you not. I haven't been cold like that in a long while, not the cold extremities type but the sort that you feel inside, in your bones.

Or other extremities when caught short?

 

[Arfermo]

I thought the Orange loads where propalis but obviously some pollen's are also Orange.

Dozens of 'em.

 

[pargyle]

Dozens of 'em.

Give him a break ... this is the BEGINNERS SECTION.

This is worth a look Millet .. You can select just the season and then hover over the pollen colour and it will tell you what it's likely to be:

http://www.sheffieldbeekeepers.org.uk/tools/pollen-chart/

 

[Hivemaker.]

Could also be pollen from gorse.

 

[beeno]

Hi HM, Yep, I think you might be right about gorse as there is plenty in bloom.

 

[pargyle]

Could also be pollen from gorse.

This years gorse is well over up here and the coming spring's gorse is nowhere near flowering yet ... despite the mild weather ...
Just looked back to last year ... No gorse here until mid February.

 

[Hivemaker.]

This years gorse is well over up here

Must be lucky here on Exmoor as we have gorse in flower all year round, some in other parts do as well though.

There are several threads about it, here are a couple.
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=14544

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=15754

 

[pargyle]

Must be lucky here on Exmoor as we have gorse in flower all year round, some in other parts do as well though.

There are several threads about it, here are a couple.
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=14544

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=15754

Yep .. There's a lot on the hill where we walk our Dog, it tends to finish flowering about mid October and start again about mid February .. it's true gorse (the prickly stuff) - very long flowering season - although I don't see many bees on it up here. I think it's a low value source of forage except when there is nothing else about - by the time I see the flowers on it here there are usually willows in bloom and the bees make for that if the weather is fair and then the other tree blossoms kick in.

It's interesting when you see so many regional variations .. another major benefit of the forum.

Interestingly (well, at least for me) I have one holly tree in the garden covered in big red berries and another one that is just starting to show white florets .. what is going on ??

Oh .. Not to mention a Fuscia that is also in bloom .. no a leaf on it ... just flowers ! Wierd.....

 

[Hivemaker.]

although I don't see many bees on it up here. I think it's a low value source of forage except when there is nothing else about

Lots work it here, they obviously know which pollen is a good source of all year round protein.



On the pollen nutrition chart on a scale of 1 to 4 ... poor quality pollen source, average quality, above average quality, excellent quality.... gorse is classed as an above average quality source of pollen.

Anything over 25% is classed as very good.

Gorse crude protein % 28.4

Willow comes in lower on the scale as average. 14.8

Pollens collected for this research could be loosely placed in one of four quality categories: poor,
average, above average or excellent, primarily based on crude protein levels with a consideration
for significant amino acid deficiencies.

As an aside after reading about the collapse of colonies working sunflower in France and it being blamed on neonics......

From these six species, Sunflower pollen is of significant concern as its crude protein levels are very
poor, thus bees may breed well on the volume of pollen supplied but the adult bees are likely to be
short lived. If a colony of bees working a Sunflower crop, from which bees obtain most of their pollen
requirements, is moved onto a heavy honey flow the colony would be expected to collapse or seriously
diminish in population due to the low body protein levels of the adult bees.