Do they know it is Christmas?

[beeno]

Well, the bees and nature obviously don't. Heat rather than day length seems to affect brooding and blooming this autumn/winter if one goes by the calendar. Discuss.
Trees that have bloomed twice this season e.g. Holly in my locale will they 'then have used up too much 'energy' so that there will be less flowers and nectar come spring from these plants? I am sure there is someone on the forum who knows the answer to that question.

 

[B+.]

Well, the bees and nature obviously don't.

I saw this bumblebee foraging for pollen on this tree yesterday

 

[user 6228]

Honeybees have been tested for photoperiodism and it only very weakly affects brood production. They appear to know the winter solstice however how they do it is not known, or at least I haven't found any studies.

 

[Millet]

I planet several hundred spring bulbs a while back and the crocus have started popping up now which is far too early.

 

[BrianO]

Hi

No its not , they do this every year, as son as temps chill they will stop growing , cold will not affect the shoots and recommence when daylight increases temps increase.

 

[madasafish]

Despite the warmth, we have few bulb shoots appearing. It's been very cloudy and gray over the past weeks. (no frosts though)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

no different here to any other year - the only thing that's showing any stirring is the family heirloom rhubarb - as it does every year at this time. Not even any daffodils showing.
Same with the bees - apart from the odd emptying flight - they're all tucked up.

 

[Finman]

.
How do bees know Cristmas in Australia? Sun is shining from north there.

 

[B+.]

.
How do bees know Cristmas in Australia? Sun is shining from north there.

They get lots of Christmas cards!

 

[Swarm]

Well there you go, south east, says it all really.
Today in Hirwaun, howling wind and heavy, driving rain. Temps were in double figures no doubt, according to some weather station. Were my hands cold? Yes. I don't imagine many honey bees gathering pollen in that.
We are now entering the 7th week of rain. I don't see anything unusual.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Today in Hirwaun, howling wind and heavy, driving rain.

Hirwaun's like that in August - it's called a heatwave!!

Temperatures here are about average for this time of year, no real difference to any other year, we don't normally get the real cold weather until the new year and no real surprise at the constant rain although I must admit we had a little more than usual today - popped down to Amanford lunchtime and the large meadow in Pontaman was knee deep in water and the road was a river - I'd have to think a long way back to when that happened last.

 

[Cussword]

It's a little damp here, even the dog wanted to cut short his walk.
Typical Fylde Christmas.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Do they know it is Christmas?

No, because it's unlikely that bees are aware of any human or religious calendar, but they will somehow know when daylength increases and will start increasing brood rearing so they are ready for Spring. Even though they don't know what the season is called they have evolved to make use of pollen and nectar from early flowers.

 

[44Whitehall]

Mine definitely bee-lieve in the magic of Christmas.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

Hirwaun's like that in August - it's called a heatwave!!

... and the road was a river - I'd have to think a long way back to when that happened last.

It probably last happened when some bright spark in the Highways Department thought he could save money on road-sweeping and highway drainage maintenance. It seems that every generation of highway maintenance personnel have to learn that lesson but some never do!

CVB

 

[Gilberdyke John]

It probably last happened when some bright spark in the Highways Department thought he could save money on road-sweeping and highway drainage maintenance. It seems that every generation of highway maintenance personnel have to learn that lesson but some never do!

CVB

Sad but true!
Our village flooded badly in 2007 after which subsequent investigation found the drainage board had stopped clearing the main outlet dyke serving 75% of the area some years before.
Somehow heads didn't roll

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It probably last happened when some bright spark in the Highways Department thought he could save money on road-sweeping and highway drainage maintenance. It seems that every generation of highway maintenance personnel have to learn that lesson but some never do!

CVB

In defence of Mario Cresci of Highways with us - Not the case this time the drains around here are cleared on a regular basis (saw them do it only a week or two ago)all the fields there are waterlogged - could see the water streaming down from the wet meadows which usually absorb the water - the farmer has been busily trying to widen and clean out the ditches all week - the water was backing up behind the hedges and gushing out through any weak spots, no way the drains could take the volume. Notice the sewage mains are full as well and spilling over into the storm drains.
And then some daftie spouts on about it being like the middle of summer!!!!

 

[Hivemaker.]

And then some daftie spouts on about it being like the middle of summer!!!!

Summer.

Boscastle, 16th August 2004.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boscastle_flood_of_2004

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Summer.

Boscastle, 16th August 2004.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boscastle_flood_of_2004

one of the cars from Boscastle came ashore in Porthcawl!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

one of the cars from Boscastle came ashore in Porthcawl!

Sailed further than the modified cars on top gear then