What's flowering as forage in your area

[Curly green finger's]

Persian ivy flowering well and being foraged on by alsorts today only 12c out in the field.
In the garden it was 16c

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Recorded this today at one of the apiarys

what? you tripped and fell!

 

[user 20297]

Recorded this today at one of the apiarys

....maybe not the video you intended to upload?

 

[Curly green finger's]

....maybe not the video you intended to upload?

Yeah maybe..... What a spark!
I new I shouldn't of started on the wine early

 

[Nannysbees]

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

Do you have a picture of the Mahonia? Is it a specific variety?

 

[Wingy]

Do you have a picture of the Mahonia? Is it a specific variety?

Don’t know what variety it is but the bees love it

 

[Nannysbees]

View attachment 29056
Don’t know what variety it is but the bees love it

I'm going to get one

 

[E&MBees]

I'm going to get one

Looks like Mahonia x media ‘Charity’
Another one to look out for is Mahonia aquifolium ‘Apollo’.

 

[W0otz]

Fatsia Japonica is just about coming into flower here, a relative of ivy the flowers look fairly similar.

 

[The Poot]

A couple of mahonia - “charity” and another I can’t recall the name of.
Ivy still of some use, though largely gone over, but bees still on it and taking in pollen.
Also an old woody overgrown viburnum of some ilk. Not sure if it’s of use to honeybees though. The scent is very heady over a very large area. Probably of use to moths I would think.

 

[Swarm]

Noticed some bees on the Persian Ivy yesterday but far more were investigating the aroma of bees wax as I was making candles and filtering wax.

 

[Murox]

A couple of mahonia - “charity” and another I can’t recall the name of.
Ivy still of some use, though largely gone over, but bees still on it and taking in pollen.
Also an old woody overgrown viburnum of some ilk. Not sure if it’s of use to honeybees though. The scent is very heady over a very large area. Probably of use to moths I would think.
View attachment 29153

From the look of those leaves I'd say that's V. bodnantense, if it is it should flower on and off from October to April.

 

[The Poot]

From the look of those leaves I'd say that's V. bodnantense, if it is it should flower on and off from October to April.

Hi Murox,
It does flower like that, so you’re probably right I’ll look it up and see when it’s best to give it a severe pruning.

 

[coffindodger]

Bees incredibly busy and bringing in lots of pollen. Never seen such activity before in November. Ivy in woodland but not identified.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes our winters are moving, aren't they. This year we had winter twice, once in February and again after the dandelions

 

[holmbee]

My honey bees are still very active bringing in ivy polle. The mahonia is in flower bur only of interest to bumble not honey bees.

 

[Moobee]

Must be some gardens with Fatsia Japonica locally - loads of bees with white pollen pants.

 

[Curly green finger's]

One solitary borage plant flowering out on the common.
Odd time of year for a white campion to flower.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have dandelions in the fields

 

[elainemary]

Just back from a trip to Devon. Spotted a few hives with bees flying bringing in white pollen, presume ivy, surprised just how much flowering ivy there is in the south west compared to home, must be a real boost to colonies. None within easy flying distance from my home apiary.

Visited Quince honey farm - wondered whether the owner (s) are on this Forum? Great job promoting and supporting pollinators, not seen anything quite like it with gardens, visitor centre and educational info plus a Thorne shop. Picked up a leaflet with their research on the best plants for pollinators and nectar production which I thought you’d find of interest. Similar to NHMS findings.

Also visited Ken and Dan Basterfield’s set up and had a tour round their facility. What great people and soooo knowledgeable. Attended one of their courses the week before, reinforced I’m doing the right things re swarm control & prevention. Enjoyed meeting Devon and Cornish beekeepers. I could live down here, though it would be a wrench from
my beloved Yorkshire. It would be hard to trade heather honey for oil seed rape in certain areas!