Ivy flowers opened this morning - the girls found them this afternoon.

Gilberdyke John · Sep 25, 2013

The ivy flowers are jumping with Bees, wasps, hoverflies, various other flies and oddly just a few token bumblebees. I had a walk down to the apiary and there is a constant stream of pollen loads being brought in.

TryingToLetThemBee · Sep 25, 2013

Yes round my way the bumbles were massively in evidence earlier in the year and completely gone since mid-August. Hope they show as well next year; I love seeing those huge queens out in early spring.

Amari · Sep 25, 2013

Gilberdyke John said:
The ivy flowers are jumping with Bees, wasps, hoverflies, various other flies and oddly just a few token bumblebees. I had a walk down to the apiary and there is a constant stream of pollen loads being brought in.

Ivy here has been out a week but not a honey bee to be seen! Ivy flowers smothered in wasps, hoverflies etc but not bees. Warm today (20C) with no wind but my 7 hives showing very little activity. I reckon they have become lazy after receiving generous feeds of syrup.

REDWOOD · Sep 25, 2013

That's all I need what with HB, sedum, should have put a super on not take them off and put apiguard on, hate to think what they have done with the eke

VEG · Sep 26, 2013

Yep ivy opening in my area as well, supers will be removed this weekend whatever the weather.

Craig

PBee · Sep 27, 2013

TryingToLetThemBee said:
Yes round my way the bumbles were massively in evidence earlier in the year and completely gone since mid-August. Hope they show as well next year; I love seeing those huge queens out in early spring.

Lots of Bumbles still around in the badlands of the West of Ireland. This one was on ivy here today (a Queen I presume given the size)..