What's flowering as forage in your area

[The Poot]

Same here. I’ve planted several and as you say they buzz. Wasps like them in August too.
Persicaria that is....
White ones are not so popular though.

 

[user 819]

Firetail is the one to get, my specimen came from a compost heap 7 years ago. It started life as just a single strand/stem with one small lance of flowers obviously with tiny bit of the rhyzome/crown.
Now it has turned into this monster and has spurned several other plants by simply dividing the crown with a spade in Jan/ Feb. Cut all of the plant back to the crown late Dec or in Jan and divide, it needs no special treatment and grows on any soil simply sit it on the surface and press it in to the ground.
Bees were on it by 07.30 this morning.

I planted it on the front corner since it has grown and now encroaches on the door opening and nearly touches the privet hedge by the bin.

 

[REDWOOD]

While in one of my hives with the SBI recently we spotted a bee with loads of cerise coloured pollen on board. Any ideas???

Rock rose

 

[elainemary]

Rosebay willow & lovely blue pollen. Bees on concrete slab below their hive

 

[Erichalfbee]

The oregano is hugely popular

 

[Nannysbees]

Any idea what this is, in the hedgerow bees all over it

 

[Bumble Bee Slim]

Any idea what this is, in the hedgerow bees all over it

Hemp agrimony ?

 

[rolande]

Not sure what it is, a positive id will be welcomed, bees absolutely love it:

 

[Erichalfbee]

It’s Weld. Comes up frequently in pollen analysis when people say, what’s Weld?

 

[rolande]

It’s Weld. Comes up frequently in pollen analysis when people say, what’s Weld?

Thank you. I'll have to look it up. Various wildflower books let me down.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Any idea what this is, in the hedgerow bees all over it

Holy rope have a google

 

[Erichalfbee]

Holy rope have a google

For gardeners it's Eupatorium
The Americans call it Joe Pie weed

 

[Curly green finger's]

For gardeners it's Eupatorium
The Americans call it Joe Pie weed

I couldn't spell the Latin name, I only know it as holy rope.

 

[The Poot]

Firetail is the one to get, my specimen came from a compost heap 7 years ago. It started life as just a single strand/stem with one small lance of flowers obviously with tiny bit of the rhyzome/crown.
Now it has turned into this monster and has spurned several other plants by simply dividing the crown with a spade in Jan/ Feb. Cut all of the plant back to the crown late Dec or in Jan and divide, it needs no special treatment and grows on any soil simply sit it on the surface and press it in to the ground.
Bees were on it by 07.30 this morning.

I planted it on the front corner since it has grown and now encroaches on the door opening and nearly touches the privet hedge by the bin.

View attachment 27508

This is my monster, which started life as three small plants. I’m on heavy clay and it seems to thrive.
As you said the bees are on it from early doors until the sun has gone down.

 

[user 819]

Looking very good Poot, clay based here as well which they do thrive on well.
My specimen by the door was simply a buzz with noise at 15.00 today when I returned home.

 

[BoStor]

For gardeners it's Eupatorium
The Americans call it Joe Pie weed

This is what I suggest. Wildflower Weld Irish Wild Flora Wildflowers of Ireland

 

[Moobee]

This is my monster, which started life as three small plants. I’m on heavy clay and it seems to thrive.
As you said the bees are on it from early doors until the sun has gone down.

Just ordered some! Just need to find a space to shoehorn it into now…..

 

[Moobee]

Oregano…. Until the rain started. Again.

 

[user 20297]

I couldn't spell the Latin name, I only know it as holy rope.

I thought you were quoting from Batman and Robin.
This one is maybe appropriate to beekeeping....

 

[user 20297]

I spotted this huge field which is possibly slightly beyond my bees foraging distance at two and a half miles.
It's not a crop I can see any purpose for, other than for wildlife. But I couldn't see any beehives around and the only bees were of the bumble variety.