What's flowering as forage in your area

[JamezF]

Reckon we're going to have a poor honey crop this year, unless these bees sort themselves out.

It's been a good few months. They're probably just trying to work out how it all goes again.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Not quite here yet

first day they are out with us - noticed a few opening at the bottom of the drive this morning, then checked and they were open in all the usual spots.

 

[Murox]

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it
I'm about to lose control........................the first ones this year

 

[JamezF]

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it
I'm about to lose control........................the first ones this year

I've seen a small number here. It really is a very small number though. Possibly three.

James

 

[JamezF]

Oh, which reminds me, I saw a field of OSR on the way into Taunton to pick my daughter up from school. Hard to tell how well it was flowering whilst driving past, but it did seem to have an awful lot of weeds in. No use to me though, it was much too far away for any of my colonies.

James

 

[Wilco]

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it
I'm about to lose control........................the first ones this year


View attachment 30999

Only us beekeepers could get excited about dandelions!

 

[Wilco]

Duplicate

 

[Wilco]

Triplicate.

What can I say, obviously an overachiever...

 

[JamezF]

Only us beekeepers could get excited about dandelions!

And how excited you must be to have posted it three times

James

 

[Murox]

Only us beekeepers could get excited about dandelions!

Maybe...........................
Dandy Dandelion
When Dandy Dandelion wakes
And combs his yellow hair,
The ant his cup of dewdrop takes
And sets his bed to air;
The worm hides in a quilt of dirt
To keep the thrush away,
The beetle dons his pansy shirt—
They know that it is day!

And caterpillars haste to milk
The cowslips in the grass;
The spider, in his web of silk,
Looks out for flies that pass.
These humble people leap from bed,
They know the night is done:
When Dandy spreads his golden head
They think he is the sun!

Dear Dandy truly does not smell
As sweet as some bouquets;
No florist gathers him to sell,
He withers in a vase;
Yet in the grass he's emperor,
And lord of high renown;
And grateful little folk adore
His bright and shining crown.

by Christopher Morley

 

[Erichalfbee]

Maybe...........................
Dandy Dandelion
When Dandy Dandelion wakes
And combs his yellow hair,
The ant his cup of dewdrop takes
And sets his bed to air;
The worm hides in a quilt of dirt
To keep the thrush away,
The beetle dons his pansy shirt—
They know that it is day!

And caterpillars haste to milk
The cowslips in the grass;
The spider, in his web of silk,
Looks out for flies that pass.
These humble people leap from bed,
They know the night is done:
When Dandy spreads his golden head
They think he is the sun!

Dear Dandy truly does not smell
As sweet as some bouquets;
No florist gathers him to sell,
He withers in a vase;
Yet in the grass he's emperor,
And lord of high renown;
And grateful little folk adore
His bright and shining crown.

by Christopher Morley

That’s brill. Thanks for posting. Xx

 

[Swarm]

One of my favourite sights in Spring is a patch of gravel by my father's drive. Dandelion and Grape Hyacinth.

 

[Newbeeneil]

One of my favourite sights in Spring is a patch of gravel by my father's drive. Dandelion and Grape Hyacinth.

Very appropriate colours in these times

 

[Curly green finger's]

Pear orchards are flowering and inspecting the colonys that are there today, first day for lighting the smoker

 

[Nannysbees]

Only us beekeepers could get excited about dandelions!

You're right I used to be out with the weed and feed pronto, but now I'm actually spreading the seeds when the flower has finished!!!

 

[alisonfosterbell]

Oh, which reminds me, I saw a field of OSR on the way into Taunton to pick my daughter up from school. Hard to tell how well it was flowering whilst driving past, but it did seem to have an awful lot of weeds in. No use to me though, it was much too far away for any of my colonies.

James

Could it be a mustard crop for soil stabilsation and green manure? I live in the north of France and ours doesn't flower until April...

 

[Curly green finger's]

Pear orchards are flowering and inspecting the colonys that are there today, first day for lighting the smoker

Blimey 3 apiarys down, I've supered some up 8+ frames of solid brood, condensed a few doubles and reversed some double brood.
One dead out a nuc.

 

[Skinfaxi]

Could it be a mustard crop for soil stabilsation and green manure? I live in the north of France and ours doesn't flower until April...

In romney marsh it is starting to flower canola.

 

[Wilco]

Local OSR chap reckons a month before it flowers although dependant on weather and soil temps.

Willow out in force 3m from my hives, bees all over it.

 

[JamezF]

Could it be a mustard crop for soil stabilsation and green manure? I live in the north of France and ours doesn't flower until April...

We've had an exceptionally mild winter which seems to have moved most things forward a bit, but just from observation the flowering time for OSR appears to have moved forward a couple of weeks since we moved here eighteen years ago.

Could be mustard though, I guess. From a road through a hedge it's tricky to tell

James