Garden beekeepers: What are your bees foraging on?

[Skyhook]

The definition of a weed is a plant growing where it's not wanted- if you've got 2 buttercups and you like one where it is but not the other, ones a weed and one isn't.

I've always hated HB for taking over the countryside- funny how I'm coming to like it more now I've got bees!

 

[darrenperrett]

Mine are all bringing back white pollen from all the hydrangea bushes around here.

 

[Michael 365]

Foraging bees

Skyhook,

Completely in agreement with you; I look on HB in a different light since beginning beekeeping! If the girls like it, then its ok with me!

Not sure that I would want it in my garden though; attractive as it is!

Regards, Michael

 

[JellyBee]

Still only 3 weeks into beekeeping but I've noticed them on my honeysuckle, borage, and budleias but more on the one that has flowers like yellow balls rather than the big purple one but maybe it's because the yellow one is in full sun and the purple one in shade?

 

[Dishmop]

I have a small garden the centre of an estate. Two hives.

Bees dont look at anything in my garden... Not even a sniff.
They are now coming back with a less red (bright orange?) than a couple of weeks ago, so mostly yellow, light yellow and white now.

 

[Cazza]

Still only 3 weeks into beekeeping but I've noticed them on my honeysuckle, borage, and budleias but more on the one that has flowers like yellow balls rather than the big purple one but maybe it's because the yellow one is in full sun and the purple one in shade?

Bees seem always to prefer buddleia globosa ( the orange ball one) rather than the purple davidii which is usually preferred by butterflies.
Cazza

 

[Queens59]

The definition of a weed is a plant growing where it's not wanted

Hah - I read that if you can't tell if something is a weed or expensive rare flower - try pulling it up. If it comes out easily it is a rare flower and if with difficulty it is a weed!

 

[nelletap]

The pollen my bees are collecting at the moment

Brambles; borage; hydrangea and something with a more yellow pollen at the moment. The lacecap hydrangea gives a beigy pollen. I notice that there is never just one colour of pollen at a time. It is as though they don't want to put all their eggs in one basket. It also took them a while to find the hydrangea and then suddenly they were all over it. Do they calculate / know how long the pollen will be good and prioritise collecting those that will be over first? I have planted a lavendar hedge about 80 feet from the hives - that is about 30 feet closer to them than the hydrangea - but I haven't seen one bee on that yet. I think they have also had poppy pollen in the last couple of weeks (blacky).
If people want me to, I could list named flowers and plants from one of the books that I found useful; it lists them with approximate month of flowering.
It seemed to me that early pollen is useful close to hives might be especially useful purely because it can mean that if there is a short good spell at the beginning of the season it can spur them into action, and also in the winter where again there can be some really warm days at least in my part of the world. We already have lots and lots of daffodils and snowdrops and I have ordered some winter aconites and recently planted Michaelmas daisies and a Mahonia. All the flattish daisy like flowers are good, St John's wort, hebes, many herbs and fruit trees. Hebes grow quite quickly, don't need much care and last quite a long while. Mallows would also be good and are out now and the perennial geraniums cover a wide flowering period including now. Thistles and clover are also good at this time of year.

 

[Cazza]

This week my garden bees are especially enjoying the sedum, kniphofia and wild rocket.

Anybody noticed anything else in their garden?
Cazza

 

[tonybloke]

magnolia grandiflora, pollen source

 

[Dishmop]

I wish they'd eat the moss.....

 

[tonybloke]

collecting pollen from dahlias, this morning
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=2330&stc=1&d=1283512978

 

[madasafish]

Phaceleia tanacetifolia: blue flowers: all bees LOVE it..

More poppies...

 

[Cazza]

This weeks garden treats seem to be garlic chives and the beautiful blue caryopteris clandonensis (spelling?)
Anyone else got anything good I could plant in flower this week?
Cazza

 

[Hackney]

Louise, Ted Hooper's Guide to Bees and Honey has a garden plant list, at the end of ch.10 in the 4th edn. Berberis, cotoneaster, crocus, heathers, ****, holly, hypericum, lavatera, shrub lonicera, mahonia, michaelmas daisies and other compositae, ribes, snowdrop, thyme, willow; his wild plant list is longer and includes quite a few gardenable ones e.g. bluebell, marjoram, field poppy, hazel, broom, soft & top fruits, hawthorn & of course ivy.

Your question makes me realise that I have some idea what my honeybees are using in the wild, and I record what bees use in my garden but don't distinguish bumbles & solitaries from honeybees. Must do that in future. Will you post your list?

 

[Otleybee]

I am lucky enough to live by a river and they are still going for the balsam. Warm day today and clouds of bees flying to the river and back and still coming in with the white stripes on their backs.

Apiguard on for a week now and mite drop has doubled from the normal 3 to 4 per week to 8 per week. It seems my bees are quite good at keeping varroa levels low.

 

[louiseww]

I too have observed that they don't go on the plants near to the hives, but can be found about 50 yards away. Of course they may not be my bees!! ha!

 

[louiseww]

Thanks, yes I have this book, but I think garden plants have changed a lot since it was written and there is nothing like personal experience for extra information.

 

[louiseww]

Yes I will post the list at the beginning of October when I have plenty to offer!

 

[louiseww]

The 'official' definition of a weed is a plant that is growing where you don't want it to!
Thanks