Ivy!

[itma]

While walking the hound a few minutes ago, I noticed a number of bees working in the hedge.
They were getting rather excited about the Ivy that was in full sun ...
So that's an end of trying to scrape any more harvest from them for this year.
Its absolutely all yours from now on, girls ...

 

[acabee]

Not quite here yet (Bucks), but very soon (2-4 days).
According to BBC, weather for next 7 days in SE set for dry and sunny... 24C!

 

[Chris Luck]

The first just started to flower here a couple of days ago just as I took the last supers of, pretty good timing eh?

Bring it in, nectar and pollen. Wonderful food source for so many species at this important time of year.

Chris

 

[Mellifera397]

Does anyone know when it arrives in the north west?

 

[keith pierce]

Seen the first of them been worked yesterday

 

[Rhiellie]

Could I ask a beginner question please? Why is Ivy so important, I am assuming a good source of nectar maybe better than anything else at this time of year??????

 

[itma]

Could I ask a beginner question please? Why is Ivy so important, I am assuming a good source of nectar maybe better than anything else at this time of year??????

It tastes a bit medicinal (or just strange) - so you probably don't want it mixed into your crop.

It provides lots of food. Nectar which reduces the amount of sugar you might have to provide. And hopefully some of the plentiful pollen will provide some protein for making next Spring's new bees.
And it keeps going until its too cold for the bees to fly.
Only downside for the bees is that it tends to set in the comb, so they may need a water supply to use it easily. Not perfect for midwinter! (Though, heretically, I'd suggest that a little in-hive condensation isn't always a bad thing!)

 

[Rhiellie]

It tastes a bit medicinal (or just strange) - so you probably don't want it mixed into your crop.

It provides lots of food. Nectar which reduces the amount of sugar you might have to provide. And hopefully some of the plentiful pollen will provide some protein for making next Spring's new bees.
And it keeps going until its too cold for the bees to fly.
Only downside for the bees is that it tends to set in the comb, so they may need a water supply to use it easily. Not perfect for midwinter! (Though, heretically, I'd suggest that a little in-hive condensation isn't always a bad thing!)

Thank you...... you learn something new

 

[acabee]

I recall reading somewhere (where?), that while ivy honey is often considered poor tasting, it improves markedly if matured for 6 months or so.
I've no experience of fresh or mature ivy honey, so can't comment personally.

acabee.

 

[Andy Duff]

Does anyone know when it arrives in the north west?

Dunno, but there seems to be even more HB everywhere, rosebay willow herb is now in full flower, the heather is a bit slow at the moment. So at a guess ivy would be January

 

[Chris Luck]

From my point of view it's a great opportunity for honey bees to top up with stores before winter, pollen and nectar when there is nothing else around that provides so much for them. It's also the only food plant for the Ivy bee, Colletes hederae the last solitary bee of the season AND it provides food for the butterflies that will overwinter or migrate, Red admirals, Peacocks, Brimstones AND of course the Queens of the wasp family to help them into their winter hibernation. Overall an incredibly important plant that is often greatly underrated and given a bad press.

Chris

 

[Mellifera397]

I am absolutely astounded at the amount of himalayan balsam at the moment almost every single flying bee in my hive has a white back from the pollen its all helping with the stores and build up

 

[Haughton Honey]

I'm with Chris L on this one. Ivy is very important to my apiaries in these parts and perhaps provides half of my colony's winter feed.

Personally, I've never had a problem with the bees over-wintering on it and the ivy pollen coupled with the willow pollen that is pretty abundant around here make for a strong start in the spring.

 

[eleanor20]

Not seen any HB around me but I do have lots of ivy just about to open, and with the forecast looking good for the next week or so I may not have to feed as much as I thought.

 

[Mellifera397]

The roads near me are lined with it

 

[Andy Duff]

I am absolutely astounded at the amount of himalayan balsam at the moment almost every single flying bee in my hive has a white back from the pollen its all helping with the stores and build up

good innit'

 

[Mellifera397]

Defo

 

[rockdoc]

In my first season I took off about 20lb of Ivy. As has already been said, it sets hard and is stubborn to melt. As for maturing, I'm afraid my experience is that it retains its 'interesting' flavour which is a shame as its fine grain would make it a good choice for creaming. Even the smallest amount added can be detected I'm afraid.
We have a good flow on here at the moment from this vital plant, and with the weather set fair it should fill the stores very nicely.

 

[rockdoc]

Just took this shot which in a way answers something 'Rhiellie' asked about earlier in this post. We have lots of late flowering tamarisk on the coastal fringe at the moment. I've no idea what the nectar and resulting honey is like, but its very popular with all sorts of bee.

 

[Ian Howorth]

Accrington has had ivy flowering for the last 3-4 weeks.