What's flowering as forage in your area

[drex]

What sort of bees? Our ivy has a loud buzz and at a quick glance covered with honey bees but I guess they may be the relatively recent newcomer, ivy bees. I find it difficult to distinguish the two.
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/bees-and-wasps/ivy-bee

I don't know. What I do know is that my hives are filling rapidly with nectar and pollen and hopefully I will not have to feed.
I did not know about Ivy bees. Thanks for the link.

 

[enrico]

The gaura has been a picture all year.the bees love it in early morning before the sun dries it up. Gives a good creamy pollen for this time of the year too. Self seeds and looks wonderful when allowed to flower en masse.

 

[Wilco]

What sort of bees? Our ivy has a loud buzz and at a quick glance covered with honey bees but I guess they may be the relatively recent newcomer, ivy bees. I find it difficult to distinguish the two.
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/bees-and-wasps/ivy-bee

Looked like honey bees, don't think the banding was obvious enough for them to be ivy bees. However, they were in the minority compared to bumbles etc..

 

[Curly green finger's]

Ivy piling in
Raining and getting colder next week
Same every year

Weigh your girls they will soon pack it away in four days.
I fed 150 bags of sugar to two apiarys over a week and they've stored and capped it.
Last year was better locally sept 6th the flow started and the weather was good.
Previous year was pants! and its later this year no two the same it would be easy if they were

 

[Erichalfbee]

Weigh your girls they will soon pack it away in four days.
I fed 150 bags of sugar to two apiarys over a week and they've stored and capped it.
Last year was better locally sept 6th the flow started and the weather was good.
Previous year was pants! and its later this year no two the same it would be easy if they were

That’s the plan. I use 2 litre rapids and they have all gone overnight.

 

[CarolW]

Amaranthus? Giant purple?

Yes I'm sure you're right, thank you. A friend tells me there's a field near her full of multi-coloured amaranthus, grown for seed I suppose. You can buy the stuff (to eat) in Waitrose.

 

[Cole lynch]

I’ve seen the obvious Ivy. But also Dandelions & Broom
Is that normal?

 

[pargyle]

I’ve seen the obvious Ivy. But also Dandelions & Broom
Is that normal?

Dandelions will flower whenever there is enough warmth in the air - autumn is not peak dandelion months but if the soil is warm enough to germinate then a second, third or fourth crop is possible. I think they hold the record for the fastest growing weeds ! Personal experience !! Turn your back on the beggars and they are in flower, blink twice and the seeds are setting ....

Broom ? Are you sure it's broom ? - normally flowers May/June - but it is Gorse that will flower late into the year and they are very often found together and look very similar from a distance ...

 

[Monbees]

At last - the bees are on the ivy! Though I would say the ivy is all but over - but I guess bees know something I don't. Just two days before rain forecast, ah well ...

 

[alancooper]

Ivy still flowering in abundance here in the Northwest of Ireland - and supers still filling.

 

[BigAshW]

There's a huge hedge of this plant on my walk to the station and the bees are all over it. Ignoring the ivy next to it in preference.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Looks like Autumn Eleaegnus.
Are the bees on the flowers or the leaves?
This has extra floral nectaries

 

[holmbee]

There's a huge hedge of this plant on my walk to the station and the bees are all over it. Ignoring the ivy next to it in preference.View attachment 28801

I am sure it is Eleagnus but uncertain which variety. I have Limelight and that has bees interested.

 

[BigAshW]

Looks like Autumn Eleaegnus.
Are the bees on the flowers or the leaves?
This has extra floral nectaries

I've seen them looking in to the flowers.

 

[user 20297]

Our local (ie. in our own apiary) ivy has finally decided to flower whilst the temperature is just 8C. I saw a few flies on it and some drowsy wasps. A few bees are active at the hive entrance but I'm not sure they have found that ivy...it's a crop for the wild creatures.

 

[Murox]

Gorse is starting to re-bloom again
But the Ivy is out of range - shame really.

 

[Amari]

Our local (ie. in our own apiary) ivy has finally decided to flower whilst the temperature is just 8C. I saw a few flies on it and some drowsy wasps. A few bees are active at the hive entrance but I'm not sure they have found that ivy...it's a crop for the wild creatures.View attachment 28976View attachment 28977

Have ivy bees reached you yet? Ivy in our garden was covered in them a month ago - at least I think they were IBs - they look so similar to Apis mellifera.
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/bees-and-wasps/ivy-bee

 

[user 20297]

Have ivy bees reached you yet? Ivy in our garden was covered in them a month ago - at least I think they were IBs - they look so similar to Apis mellifera.
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/bees-and-wasps/ivy-bee

I've not seen them; we're probably a bit far North; time will tell.

 

[Wingy]

Bees still piling the ivy in, also got a lot of fuchsia and saint Johns Wart on allotment dahlia just coming to the end now, Mahonia just starting

 

[Curly green finger's]

Oops