What's flowering as forage in your area

[Nannysbees]

They have a honey fair every year in September

Went to the beekeeping centre, signs everywhere advertising it, but told the beekeeper had retired and they couldn't replace him.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Do you mean at Bodnant?

 

[Do224]

From a distance I thought this was a field of OSR. So many dandelions but I didn’t see a single honey bee

 

[E&MBees]

First of the wild Apple trees have started flowering near one of my apiarys.

 

[JamezF]

From a distance I thought this was a field of OSR.

There are a few fields around here like that

James

 

[Nannysbees]

Do you mean at Bodnant?

Not in bodnant Gardens itself but next door

 

[Nannysbees]

View attachment 31467View attachment 31468
From a distance I thought this was a field of OSR. So many dandelions but I didn’t see a single honey bee

Must have found something tastier elsewhere, little tinkers

 

[Amari]

Not a forage plant - but first rose of the season - Mrs Herbert Stevens.

 

[Moobee]

Bees were furiously working the bluebells this afternoon . It’s solved the mystery of pale green pollen in the hive!

 

[E&MBees]

Bees were furiously working the bluebells this afternoon . It’s solved the mystery of pale green pollen in the hive!
View attachment 31551

Mine likewise. It almost looked radioactive! A glowing blue/green colour.

 

[Swarm]

That would be Spanish ones, our native Bluebell pollen is cream.

 

[Moobee]

That would be Spanish ones, our native Bluebell pollen is cream.

The previous owners planted loads of Spanish ones unfortunately. I’ve been trying to root them out so I can replace with native ones but feel like I’m fighting a losing battle.
They also planted garlic chives which I’m still trying to eradicate 5 years on

 

[Erichalfbee]

They also planted garlic chives which I’m still trying to eradicate 5 years on

Yes...aren't they a pest. We have swathes of them in our field.
We also have swathes of bluebells in the same field and in the apiary field but rarely see anything on them. The surrounding silage fields are ablaze with dandelions which is the reason

 

[Amari]

The previous owners planted loads of Spanish ones unfortunately. I’ve been trying to root them out so I can replace with native ones but feel like I’m fighting a losing battle.
They also planted garlic chives which I’m still trying to eradicate 5 years on

Same here. The bulbs are very deep and often growing within shrubs. Glyphosate doesn't touch them. Ditto wild garlic.

 

[JamezF]

There is a road (well, ok, a single lane track that passes for a road if you squint a bit) near here where the hedge banks are lined for several hundred metres with wild garlic. It smells amazing when you drive past when it is flowering.

James

 

[elainemary]

Had a lovely week experiencing the Greek Orthodox Easter in Athens. Highlights on the bee front were the poppies flowering everywhere amongst archaeological ruins and the Judas tree, buzzing noisily with hundreds of Greek bees
10C at home, so think I’ll have to leave checking the bees til it warms slightly at the weekend. Glad I clipped my queens and gave more space a week ago.

 

[magor]

Had a lovely week experiencing the Greek Orthodox Easter in Athens. Highlights on the bee front were the poppies flowering everywhere amongst archaeological ruins and the Judas tree, buzzing noisily with hundreds of Greek bees
10C at home, so think I’ll have to leave checking the bees til it warms slightly at the weekend. Glad I clipped my queens and gave more space a week ago.

would be my pleasure to meet you and anyone if knew was in Athena or and guide you around ,to the center , to the sea or mountain whatever you wish, or and visit the apiary i have

anyway glad ya had a good time

 

[JamezF]

Sounded like there was a fair bit of work going on in the sycamore trees at the edge of my veggie plot when I was weeding today. It looks as though there are some flower spikes present, though without binoculars it's hard to be sure -- I gave most of the low branches a fairly hefty pruning this winter so they don't shade the plot as much.

James

 

[Nannysbees]

Our sycamore is coming into bloom, very exciting

 

[Newbeeneil]

Horse chestnut flowers just coming out on the southcoast