Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera)

[Somerford]

I might add that I heard from a beefarmer yesterday that in parts of Wales, they don't feed syrup - just allow the bees to forage the balsam instead !

S

 

[keithgrimes]

I'm in S E Northumberland and there is a stand of HB expending for about an acre in an old watercourse about a mile from my apiary. I had a three week period of white bees coming in to the hives - quite alarming until you realise what it is (until i saw the bees I thought there was no HB around here). The local council has a policy of detroying it so they obviously haven't found it yet. I only tracked it down (eventually) by talking to local poachers. BTW, I'm surrounded by woodland so loads of ivy pollen coming in for the last 10 days.

 

[chycarne]

Bees on toast,
Just a quick reply- the question makes sense as I was only asking who depends on HB or uses it as a bee support, I am pleased to say all the answers have made a difference and over the next few years as the erradication programme takes off it will be replaced with British flowering plants or less invasive flowerers. Again thank you to everonewho has replied, keep doing so you have made a difference the current wild release of an erradicating agent has now been delayed. Oh, HB like Knotweed out competes all British plants and there is no natural predator that usefuly eats it, ie a catipillar that turns into an interesting beastie... etc

 

[Jordy]

Don't know about "depend" but my bees seem to love it and have been coming back like silver ghosts for weeks.

 

[the naked beekeeper]

I must say, I disagree that it does any harm at all.

From the areas I see where it grows, it shoots up and blooms after the natural cycle of those plants it 'out-competes'. Namely bracken and bramble.
It's a late flowerer and grows rapidly and falls pretty quickly as soon as first frosts appear and as such hasn't effected any local plantlife that I have observed whatsoever. If anything, it has helped nectar-dependent insects immeasurably and in an age when all is doom and gloom about the bees, ie. they have lost so much traditional forage in meadowland due to mdoern agriculture, it has been a very welcome supplement and boost to our insects' health.

I cannot see for the life of me what other nectar and pollen bearing plant could replace what has become such a valuable addition to the nectar-dependent insects. I am sure we just don't have one in the British climate. Evening Primrose is about the last decent late-season forage and even that is no where near in the vast quantities HB is.

 

[Repwoc]

with TNB.

There is loads of HB round where I live and my garden bees just love it. I haven't fed them at all last autumn or this - they have collected more than enough stores to last the winter.

I have two other apiaries where there is no HB and at the end of August they had virtually no stores (and I didn't take any honey from them) - they ate almost all the honey they had gathered ~2 supers each in August. I've had to feed them all.

So it looks like the 'conservationists' are going to destroy the only real late nectar and pollen source left. And it looks like they are going to do it by introducing another alien pest. I wonder how we're going to get rid of that, once it's devoured all the lovely HB and starts to erradicate other species that have no defence against it?

There was an old woman who swallowed a fly, I don't know why she swallowed a fly. Perhaps she'll die.
There was an old woman who swallowed a spider ...

 

[kazmcc]

The balsam near us, that I can see of it anyway, grows along a stream that swelled with the latest heavy rain. It's all been levelled now, and there are nowhere near as many bees coming back with the shrouding, just one or two at the most. Almost no pollen coming in at all now. Just the odd bee. It was amazing how quickly it stopped! they are still really busy though, mentor reckons they are bringing something back. Until we train them to open up and say ahhhhh as they return, we'll just have to guess lol

 

[tonybloke]

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!

 

[Russel]

There was a small piece on today's Countryfile about the efforts to remove HB along the River Monnow by local angelers, also section on Honey Buzzards stating they prey on wasp nests but did not mention bees are also part of their diet.

 

[Rock_Chick]

I must say, I disagree that it does any harm at all.

From the areas I see where it grows, it shoots up and blooms after the natural cycle of those plants it 'out-competes'. Namely bracken and bramble.
It's a late flowerer and grows rapidly and falls pretty quickly as soon as first frosts appear and as such hasn't effected any local plantlife that I have observed whatsoever. If anything, it has helped nectar-dependent insects immeasurably and in an age when all is doom and gloom about the bees, ie. they have lost so much traditional forage in meadowland due to mdoern agriculture, it has been a very welcome supplement and boost to our insects' health.

I cannot see for the life of me what other nectar and pollen bearing plant could replace what has become such a valuable addition to the nectar-dependent insects. I am sure we just don't have one in the British climate. Evening Primrose is about the last decent late-season forage and even that is no where near in the vast quantities HB is.

I have to add that if it was not for the HB then I would not have any honey for sale,they can fill a super in a week from the HB.

I don't think its as bad as knotweed which is deep rooted where HB you can pull up plant and roots in one go.

 

[borderer]

Yes it has become a significant autumn crop

 

[victor meldrew]

Balsam has saved the year for me ,without doubt !

John Wilkinson

 

[iball]

I treated with apiguard in September, my first season, and missed the HB. I shall be managing the varroa differently next year to ensure that I can get a good honey crop.

On the plus side, there's plenty of thymolised HB honey to get them through my first winter.

Ian

 

[chycarne]

Keep em coming, this has been a real shock for those that thought they knew, the two main trials and erradications have now been stopped and the release of the HB destroyers has been delayed. Well done all, I appreciate your time and effort. Where we are we dont depend on it at all but I do appreciate how useful it is hence my origional question.

 

[Heather]

I have bees coming in with the familiar Himalayan balsalm markings- isnt it too early- have to say seen none around yet (but not searched either...) is there any other flower giving such characteristic stripes on the bees??

 

[YorkshireBees]

I have bees coming in with the familiar Himalayan balsalm markings- isnt it too early- have to say seen none around yet (but not searched either...) is there any other flower giving such characteristic stripes on the bees??

HB is present in my area but far too early for any flowers.

It is actually taking over in some woodland we walk the dog in and another wooded area not too far from my home apiary has some creeping in from one edge I noticed yesterday.

Although I appreciate any autumn crop for the bees the HB is so aggressive in it's spread I fear for the other natural plants in this area.

 

[victor meldrew]

Balsam in the seedling stage around here. Ooodles of it though

John Wilkinson

 

[VEG]

Masses of the stuff all around my apiary

 

[Heather]

But in flower??- for foraging. if not- what other flower can give that stripe on the bee?

 

[mandabow]

only a few cm above the ground here in soton, doesn't usually start to come into bloom for at least another month or so (weather dependant)##hate the stuff. back of our garden was declared an SSSI yrs ago causing esso problems when they put a pipeline through, loads of wild rare plants and animals. almost as soon as it happened (even wondered if guys surveying brought it on their shoes) the HB started cropping up here and there, we thought it was gorgeous so foolishly left it the first two yrs when there wasnt much, then we realised it was a bit too prolific.

10+ yrs of fighting yearly to try and stop it we've all about given up. freinds and neighbours and other locals used to all get together to try and rid the stream banks of it, but yr on yr less and less people can be assed, and the invasion continues.

guess least this yr i'll get something out of the ones we miss. tho wish i could train bees to ignore it so it wouldnt spread so damn fast.