IvyWatch UK and Ireland

[BrianO]

In bud here in Dublin, not yet opened, reckon a week away.

In bloom anywhere already, any bees working it ??

 

[pargyle]

Small buds on mine at present .. 3 weeks away ... possibly 4.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Small buds on mine at present .. 3 weeks away ... possibly 4.

same here, the wasps and hornets are all over the willows drinking sap but nothing on ivy yet

 

[nantmoel]

This is what it looked like last week here with me:

 

[richardbees]

Barely budding, probably 3/4 weeks away

MM,
Whereabouts are you with hornets? I've never seen one down in Balham.
Richard

 

[MuswellMetro]

Barely budding, probably 3/4 weeks away

MM,
Whereabouts are you with hornets? I've never seen one down in Balham.
Richard

Although i have hives six miles from charing cross they are on open pasture in totteridge vale/mill hill east and european hornets are everywhere , they even stopped one of our Basic assements by bombing the open hive ( we continued after a few well aimed swots got the pair of hornets attacking)

not a problem but i see one or two hornets every visit to that apiary, others further out.........well i dont even see a bumble bee there possible due to farm poisons over the years, but the area between Arkley and Mill Hill East is green belt farms and is almost organic so lots of insects etc

 

[richardbees]

Thanks MM

I'm surrounded by a 3 mile cordon of suburban gardens and heavily managed Council open spaces with "pollinator friendly" stratagems - so hopefully I'm safe for a while.

Utube vids I've seen are frightening!

rich

 

[Erichalfbee]

Mine are the same as nantmoel's; A month away at least.

In bud here in Dublin, not yet opened, reckon a week away.

In bloom anywhere already, any bees working it ??

Strange place, Dublin: Bramble and Ivy back to back

Anyone still got Supers on / not removed yet... ???

Like me trying to get last of Bramble .. though temp dropped think that may be it !


Somebody in Scotland, Islaybees? , posted that their bees were on the Lime

All that variety in one .....sorry two....little islands

 

[BrianO]

Mine are the same as nantmoel's; A month away at least.



Strange place, Dublin: Bramble and Ivy back to back

Anyone still got Supers on / not removed yet... ???

Like me trying to get last of Bramble .. though temp dropped think that may be it !


Somebody in Scotland, Islaybees? , posted that their bees were on the Lime

All that variety in one .....sorry two....little islands

Indeed, strange, more so the weather , think probably the Ivy is more like 2 weeks away now from opening , this Azores high has dragged down polar air and slowed everything again.

To be honesttThe Bramble is as good as finished now, on inspection yesterday. Still though a crazy year, such low temps and terrible weather from second week July until now.

 

[Plenty of honey]

Ivy flow

Just opened here, but not everywhere, coast seems more advanced . Another week and it looks peachy !! weather up in the 20's forecast too it will be nice to see the back of this northern wind, i am sure all others would agree!!.
I am not feeding like last year because the ivy flow was so strong . Hives were still full of the stuff in March. I love the stuff, as it never goes too rock hard and actually seems to soften in to the following year.
I like to harvest frames in the spring from my production colonies. Give them comb or foundation instead, It opens up the nest a bit and gives the colonie and queen more room, the frames i then use in making swarms in mid may. all seems to work well, thats if you have a good autumn.

 

[daroco]

Some out in Beds, not much - but I reckon the majority will be in the next week

 

[BrianO]

Anyone actually like the Ivy honey flavour ??

 

[Swarm]

About a week from flowering in Risca today.

 

[pargyle]

Anyone actually like the Ivy honey flavour ??

It's a bit of an acquired taste but some I took off last autumn has mellowed quite a lot and those people without a really sweet tooth, who often who don't like the slightly more cloying floral honeys do occasionally prefer it. I think mine was a bit mixed as it was sweeter than some I've tasted but it got a good reception from a couple of people I gave some to .. I don't think I'd enter it in the honey show though !

The bees don't seem to mind it ..

 

[Jimy Dee]

My experience of ivy honey seems to be different to the accepted wisdom in that I have never had the problem of having to remove it. From reading threads one often hears about removing frames of solid ivy honey in the spring to make room for the queen to lay and so forth. I am not saying it is incorrect, I am simply saying I have never come across this - ever. The bees know best how to manage this.
I totally disagree with beekeepers removing ivy honey, I firmly believe it should be left for the bees and I consider it the primary source of winter stores (outside of sugar syrup).
This year where I live there seems to be a "later August - Early September" gap in that since the bramble and clover has gone the bees are not working to any significant degree and we are just waiting for the ivy to flower. Thankfully there is loads of ivy. We have no rose bay willow herb and only isolated smatterings of HB, so roll on the ivy flow.

 

[Tonyatcwfarm]

Sold maybe 50lb ivy tainted honey last year
It had set white in jars overnight to a waxy paste consistency
At least 10 of the buyers have come back to me this year with orders for the same white honey
Personally I didn't mind the taste

 

[Beecarer]

Anyone actually like the Ivy honey flavour ??

One of the beekeepers at our association extracts it then sets it aside for one year and says its grand then, anyone else tried this?

 

[BrianO]

Interesting, tasted last year and to be honest thought it was OK .

Have seen it actually for sale specifically and nicely labelled as " Ivy Honey " .

I would'nt mind trying again... but... agree, this should be left for the Bees, has to be so much better than sugar syrup.

 

[rockdoc]

Out here already and can smell it in the supers. I agree with JD, and I leave most of mine on as winter food. In fact last winter there was so much I did not need to feed my bees. All came through in fine condition.

 

[Harley1]

Just started on Romney Marsh (Kent). Mostly covered in wasps today.