LimeWatch UK

[clv101]

A few of the limes in south Bristol have opened today.

 

[BILL.HEARD]

Do blackberries produce quite a bit of nectar?

My main crop usually comes from the Clover/Blackberry which is a blend most of my customers like. Blackberry yields well and for a long period, it also yields at lower temperatures.

 

[Roola]

My main crop usually comes from the Clover/Blackberry which is a blend most of my customers like. Blackberry yields well and for a long period, it also yields at lower temperatures.

Its probably quite handy being beside a railway line wont it for blackberry? I never realised Blackberry was so good for forage.

 

[Suzi Q]

Plenty of lime flowering here, but can't see any bees working it yet. Going to be 28c Saturday!

 

[Roola]

Plenty of lime flowering here, but can't see any bees working it yet. Going to be 28c Saturday!

Where abouts a re you in London Suzi? Last time i checked ours are all still big buds, i'd guess it takes a while for the nectar to start flowing once flowers open!

 

[Suzi Q]

South of the river!

 

[Roola]

Flowers now open in East London... checked this evening though and no nectar yet.

 

[richardbees]

Just noticed this evening that my locaL Limes are just coming into blossom, blackberries started a few days ago..... reckon these two must be in my top five nectar sources. I'm in Balham

Good thread, Roola!

Richard

 

[Suzi Q]

Was on the top deck of a 133 today travelling down Brixton Road, and never knew most of the trees lining the road are Limes, flowering as well.

 

[richardbees]

Suzi
- 133 bus passes a few hundred yards away from me - off Streatham Hill

imho flowering trees and growth on railway embankments are principal forage for london bees....the occasional flower is a passing snack!
richard

 

[Roola]

Suzi
- 133 bus passes a few hundred yards away from me - off Streatham Hill

imho flowering trees and growth on railway embankments are principal forage for london bees....the occasional flower is a passing snack!
richard

Checked this evening, good number of mine are returning with grey pollen which I believe is blackberry so that's my current flow till limes come in, I'm about 100 yds from railway line so plenty of brambles!

 

[Suzi Q]

I live in hope of experiencing the fabled nectar flow, a flow where supers are drawn and filled in a few days, extracted and put back on the hive to be filled again. Not talking about OSR! Just Lime, and blackberry.

 

[Roola]

I live in hope of experiencing the fabled nectar flow, a flow where supers are drawn and filled in a few days, extracted and put back on the hive to be filled again. Not talking about OSR! Just Lime, and blackberry.

Amen

 

[Tom Bick]

I live in hope of experiencing the fabled nectar flow, a flow where supers are drawn and filled in a few days, extracted and put back on the hive to be filled again. Not talking about OSR! Just Lime, and blackberry.

A few years ago now I had a super of foundation drawn, filled and nearly all capped in a week but nothing close since.

The limes are a major source of nectar for London and unfortunately over very fast so everything needs to be in place for it to flow and so far most of the boxes look like they have been ticked so fingers crossed for the next two weeks.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I miss that intoxicating scent.......hours spent reading under a lime tree in Bushy Park on a summer's day. I wish I'd kept bees then.

 

[richardbees]

Suzi Q
Just looked at the BBC weather forecast - and anticipate a 'perfect storm' next week.
i.e. timing of max worker force coinciding with max nectar on local forage!
richard

 

[charlievictorbravo]

You guys might wax lyrical about Limes but I don't have any - instead I have Cordylines, which have been in flower for two weeks and are absolutely covered in bumble bees and honey bees.

It took my bees a little while to suss the cordylines out but now they're outnumbering the foraging bumble bees and taking lots of stores back to the hive.

 

[Suzi Q]

Suzi Q
Just looked at the BBC weather forecast - and anticipate a 'perfect storm' next week.
i.e. timing of max worker force coinciding with max nectar on local forage!
richard

Accuweather has a nice turn of phrase when forcasting, it will be 'partly sunny and delightful' tomorrow, and 'sunny and delightful' Monday! Love it!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Accuweather has a nice turn of phrase when forcasting, it will be 'partly sunny and delightful' tomorrow, and 'sunny and delightful'

To make up for its excessive optimism and annoying inaccuracy?

A friend used to work at the meteorological office and she said to collate seven or eight forecasts and if they all agreed they would probably be right
If they didn't then "take your pick"

 

[djg]

Suzi Q
Just looked at the BBC weather forecast - and anticipate a 'perfect storm' next week.
i.e. timing of max worker force coinciding with max nectar on local forage!
richard