Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera)

[Stiffy]

None around my hives or locally as far as I know.......plenty of ivy which is keeping them busy at present.
S

 

[johna]

Stacks of the stuff up here in Scotland.The girls working it just as hard as they can.

 

[Queens59]

The village is surrounded by it in East Devon, they clear patches now and then but another pops up, and my girls are smothered!

 

[madasafish]

It's all over many of the canals and small streams in North Staffs.. Interestingly, whilst most is mixed pink and white and therfore is easily missed if you are not looking for it, there is a strain which is a deeper pink. .

It's quite fetching and looks very striking. It's seed time now on many of the plants: my runs now involve stops to collect the odd hundred or so seeds...::

 

[clare]

Two hives of busy, busy white backed bees in my patch of east Devon.

 

[Skyhook]

It's quite fetching and looks very striking. It's seed time now on many of the plants: my runs now involve stops to collect the odd hundred or so seeds...::

Quite understand the temptation- but lets not forgot that it's a very invasive weed which destroys entire water margin ecosystems by out-competing the native flora. If it's there you might as well take advantage of it- but no spreading, please!

 

[Bryang]

This is the first year I've seen so much of it in the upper Rhondda Fach. Its growing on the west facing valley sides, it is very invasive , its growing thru the bracken, never ever seen that before, and yes my girls love it.

 

[chycarne]

Thank you all for your help. Because of your comments the Local "anti invasive weeds person" is going to write to and work with the research group that is trying to find a biological control asking for help to find an alternative set of plants to replace the balsam with, because of the numbers of Beekeepers that have the balsam as part of their end of summer plan, so that there will be a "replacement" food source for before the ivy. You have helped change local and national policy thank you very much!!! if only the bees were as easy to work with. Interesting how the gap between the ending of summer flowers and the start of the ivy is growing... no sites of HB have been endangered by your help

 

[fox403]

haha u have all been Guinea pigs now u will loose all your hb...mmmm...did i leave my area on here <------------

 

[victor meldrew]

Not another conspiracy theorist "God help us all"

John Wilkinson

 

[chycarne]

HA HA indeed, ah well, the conspiracy may well be of some help, actually I did ask the question because of the eradication programmes and I wanted to put in our views - you cant take away the food without some replacment. This will now happen and the eradication programme will be slowed accordingly, one up for us I think...

 

[Jimmy]

Does HB eradication actually work?
Would seem to be a task of sisphyean proportions.

 

[victor meldrew]

Canada, is covered by(European) white clover which ,like balsam ,rapidly spreads via seed distribution (seeds remain viable 30 years)but also by root node spread.
The Canadian beekeepers love the stuff and produce clover honey by the hundreds of tons.
Try selling eradication to the Canadians

John Wilkinson

 

[susbees]

Some on The Severn in Shrewsbury...my family could smell it when we were kayaking at the w/e. A sense I lack currently .

Locally a few bees come in with "the stripe" and the gamekeeper on the adjacent estate is trying to eradicate it.

 

[*ZhG*StGeorge]

Who says you don't learn something new every day. Had to look it up on tinternet but at least I know what it looks like now. Might even surprise the Dragon but I will use the 'Policemans Helmet' rather than try and remember it's real name.

 

[madasafish]

Eradicate HB?

Surely that is a bad joke?

There are acres of it within a 10 mile radius of us and there is no eradication program... so it's spreading naturally.. It's growing at altitudes over 1,000feet in ditches on moorland - replacing bracken ...

If eradicated it will be replaced by nettles and wild blackberries ...neither of which are atractive to look at..

King Canute would do a better job

 

[Skyhook]

Eradicate HB?

Surely that is a bad joke?

There are acres of it within a 10 mile radius of us and there is no eradication program... so it's spreading naturally.. It's growing at altitudes over 1,000feet in ditches on moorland - replacing bracken ...

If eradicated it will be replaced by nettles and wild blackberries ...neither of which are atractive to look at..

King Canute would do a better job

The answer will be biological control, as no wildlife officer can track down a million plants, but 10 million beetles can. And which you happen to like the look of is actually not that important compared with what supports the local wildlife.

 

[Heather]

Has anyone a good picture of a single bee portraying the Himalayan Balsalm marking.I would love to add to my 'talk' as it shows another indication of pollination and collection. I have searched for a pic- but none clear enough. Thanks in advance- if one forthcoming

 

[Brian Bush]

My bees love HM. I was concerned 2 years ago when one hive came home looking like 'ghost' bees. This year all hives have found it an important source from August onwards. I think that trying to eliminate it is as someone else said akin to King Canute holding back the tide. It may clog our ditches and waterways but as a beekeeper I believe it to be a valuable import.

 

[trapperman]

i have only had the odd bee with the white stripe so not much of it in my part of oxfordshire, but i do have an old ditch on my holding that could do with some colour so if a few seeds were to find thier way to me in the post that would be fine pm me.