It's beginning to look a lot like .. April.

[viridens]

I don't remember ever seeing hives so busy in mid December.

Mine have a heavy stream of foragers from dawn to dusk, many arriving back with good loads of pollen, Dandelion and lord knows what else.
And my IR thermometer reads 24 C when pointed at the brood nest through a perspex window. I'll need to keep an eye on stores.
Here in Somerset It's just so mild. We have not yet had a proper hard frost to remind it's winter.

What are you seeing?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Bees on the mahonia

 

[RichardK]

I don't remember ever seeing hives so busy in mid December.

What are you seeing?

I'm genuinely sad to hear that! Here I am in France thinking I've got great weather because...I'm in France....& there you go saying you've got it too! Had 4 or 5 frosts and the last couple of days decent amount of ice on the windscreen at 7am. My illusion has been shattered!

 

[Newbeeneil]

I AO trickled 40 hives today at 11 sites. I didn't see any tight clusters and as soon as we lifted the crown board they were all over us! I've never seen it like this......... too warm

 

[rampino]

I trickled oxalic in Hammersmith on Sunday and saw a drone. It may have been just chucked out of the hive but it’s a bit late in the year for drones.

 

[Nannysbees]

I don't remember ever seeing hives so busy in mid December.

Mine have a heavy stream of foragers from dawn to dusk, many arriving back with good loads of pollen, Dandelion and lord knows what else.
And my IR thermometer reads 24 C when pointed at the brood nest through a perspex window. I'll need to keep an eye on stores.
Here in Somerset It's just so mild. We have not yet had a proper hard frost to remind it's winter.

What are you seeing?

Not a dandelion in sight!!

 

[Curly green finger's]

Winter up here on the hills although I did notice the crocus leaves have started to come up, but nothing really stops growing.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Snowdrops poking through
Some Hellebores, Mahonia, Viburnum and Witchhazel in flower

 

[madasafish]

Slight frost this am.
11C two days ago...
Global Warming is a myth.

 

[enrico]

Mine are taking pollen from the winter vibernum, greyish white, my inspection tray shows that I still have frames of brood emerging in a couple of hives!!!!
I still have trees with green leaves on, alder mainly, and was working outside in a t shirt yesterday, not a pretty sight!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Snowdrops poking through

has been for the last couple of weeks with us - so bang on time really, always had them poking through at this time and often seen snowdrops on the point of opening opposite Bethlehem chapel in Bethlehem village on New year's day

 

[Repwoc]

Witchhazel in flower

Ours isn't - it still looks very dormant.

 

[Erichalfbee]

We have three
They come one after the other.
It’s an orange one.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Looks like theres a good chance of snow here on Christmas day.

 

[Erichalfbee]

 

[Buzzo]

Same down here,lots of activity outside the hives most mornings 50+ buzzing around.

last year nothing moved after October.

 

[Wilco]

Wonder if this will mean more or fewer wasps next year...

 

[Erichalfbee]

Maybe fewer if we now have a cold snap
Ive seen two queen wasps buzzing around in the sunshine today

 

[Karsal]

I don't remember ever seeing hives so busy in mid December.

Mine have a heavy stream of foragers from dawn to dusk, many arriving back with good loads of pollen, Dandelion and lord knows what else.
And my IR thermometer reads 24 C when pointed at the brood nest through a perspex window. I'll need to keep an eye on stores.
Here in Somerset It's just so mild. We have not yet had a proper hard frost to remind it's winter.

What are you seeing?

Gorse in flower also around me in East Lancashire. It's been like a spring morning several days over the past fortnight. Lots of bees flying but they are using their stores fast. Put fondant on 10 hives last Friday and boy were they angry. Even attacking me after I'd sealed up the crown board and put the roof on the hives.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I suppose if April is gloomy, damp and now bleeding cold enough for snow - yes!