What are my bees feeding on?

[EDCHEF]

Seasons Greetings All!
Just collecting logs to go on the fire - as you do in the the winter - I notice that the bees are flying and they seem to be collecting pollen from somewhere.
Has anyone any idea what they might be finding on Boxing Day?
Thanks
Ed Birch

 

[Russel]

Windy and drizzle here but they're out and about, crazzy bees?

 

[countryman]

we have several feilds of rape still in flower close by and lots of gorse as well as some crocuses out at the moment

 

[thorn]

Seasons Greetings All!
Just collecting logs to go on the fire - as you do in the the winter - I notice that the bees are flying and they seem to be collecting pollen from somewhere.
Has anyone any idea what they might be finding on Boxing Day?
Thanks
Ed Birch

Mine are flying and collecting pollen too. No rape in flower in Leeds, and no crocuses out yet. Maybe evolution enables them to extract pollen from discarded pizza boxes.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Round here there are winter-flowering Cherries, Viburnum tinus and Mahonia aquifolium in flower, and also one or two early Camellias. There's loads of gorse too.

 

[countryman]

and i have just noticed tulips coming up

 

[the beehive lodge]

Deep in the heart of Manchester bees are very busy flying good site to see,
Or is it could the Queen be laying a higher number of young to compensate the bees foraging

 

[Ed Woods]

Went to look at my hives and they are all active. No 1 hive had a large beard of bees on the landing board. The sun is shining and there is a large funnel of bees swirling around the hives - they are as active as a Summer day. Had several bees land on me and have just noticed my coat is covered in bee poos

 

[enrico]

I'm in Shropshire too and there is certainly gorse and wild mahonia that the bees are on , plus some very late ivy!!!

 

[sahtlinurk]

it is not probably rape flowering, it is a charlock

( http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicweeds/weed_information/weed.php?id=28)

which grows as a weed in the rape. Rape will start flowering in spring.

Lauri

 

[Pete D]

Bees flying here too, every hive active in the sun around lunch time, about 20 miles from Ed so similar conditions, breezy though.
Didnt see any pollen coming in just lots of orientation and toilet trips !

Ed when are you doing your OA, got mine planned for Friday this week.

Pete D

 

[dpearce4]

mine are flying with a perpose, they seem to be coming and going somewhere. They arnt bringing in pollen so i wonder if they are colecting water to mix with honey to eat?

 

[rink123]

mine are flying with a perpose, they seem to be coming and going somewhere. They arnt bringing in pollen so i wonder if they are colecting water to mix with honey to eat?

I'm in Shropshire too my bees are flying but no pollen coming in

 

[Cazza]

In Suffolk the bees were working Mahonia, winter flowering honeysuckle and
Phacelia this morning.
Cazza

 

[alanf]

Saw quite a few bees on castor oil plants (Fatsia japonica) earlier today. Looked to be a fair amount of pollen available.