What's flowering as forage in your area

[Mabee]

Mine are on this - there’s lots of it along field edges and along drainage channels. I’m not sure what it is. Grey pollen I think.
View attachment 32428

could be angelica

 

[Mabee]

I have loads of saxifrage in my pots, I always plant it at the base of other plants as it keeps the moisture in the pots. It’s a lovely bright red pollen…

 

[Erichalfbee]

If you have an iphone, there is an ’i’ under the photo, it’ll ID most plants and animals in your photo.

How does that work. I don’t see any i under any of mine

 

[ericbeaumont]

one batch of honey tasted of elderflower so suspect it was part of their forage

Nothing for bees from elder, Will.

What was the flavour? Could have been privet; that's out here in North London as the blackberry goes over.

 

[Swn58]

Nothing for bees from elder, Will.

So....what are the bees doing on the elder flowers? Last week I was trying my hardest not to disturb many of them as I went about my business of harvesting. They were definitely feeding on nectar. These bees are easily half a mile from the nearest hive. Maybe they are just 'having a rest' from rigours of foraging on the flowers they do collect from?

 

[Wilco]

Nothing for bees from elder, Will.

What was the flavour? Could have been privet; that's out here in North London as the blackberry goes over.

Definitely tasted of elderflower. Was really nice although sadly not much of it.

 

[Nannysbees]

Download a free app called Seek on you phone it will identify it but I’m 95% sure I’m right.
Bees love it!View attachment 32438

I use plant snap but I'll try that one thank you

 

[Firefly]

Download a free app called Seek on you phone it will identify it but I’m 95% sure I’m right.
Bees love it!View attachment 32438

I've just come back from a week in Pembrokeshire and this stuff is everywhere (where there is water) - not sure if it's a bumper year - prompting me to do a little research. Water hemlock (Oenanthe crocata) and 'Poison' Hemlock (Conium Maculatum, as administered to Socrates) are different plants but equally deadly. According to Identify Water Hemlock Dropwort - Totally Wild UK , "The whole [water hemlock] plant is deadly toxic. The roots are the most deadly, containing a powerful neurotoxin called oenanthetoxin, which triggers spasmodic convulsions, usually followed by sudden death. This plant has caused more deaths in the uk than any other plant*" [*Excluding tobacco and barley, presumably ]

 

[Newbeeneil]

could be angelica

I would think not and certainly would not have a nibble to test! Angelica is a plant I've not come across in the last couple of years but Hemlock Water Dropwort seems to be everywhere.

 

[ericbeaumont]

what are the bees doing on the elder flowers?

Must be desperate! A 2012 thread asked the same question with variable answers.

Though the honey may taste of elder, elder may not be the source of the nectar. Checked to see what the Kew entomologist Frank Howes had to say in his Plants & Bee Keeping:

The strongly scented flowers of the elder, which most people find unpleasant, are not normally visited by the honey bee and have been described as nectarless. The fact that they appear in June when there is an abundance of other pollen sources may be the reason why they do not even attract the honey bee for pollen. As the plant is so common everywhere, even to the point of becoming a nuisance and a pest in some districts, and flowers so freely, it is a great pity for the beekeeper that it is not agood honey plant.

 

[Swn58]

a great pity for the beekeeper that it is not agood honey plant.

The evidence says he's wrong. There are more bees on the blackberries, so one can recognise preferences in the bee world. However, there were far too many bees on the elderflowers that I was picking. They appeared to be feeding, not having a nice rest.

 

[ericbeaumont]

They appeared to be feeding

Yes, Howes may be wrong, but certainty remains elusive. Would you take a closer look and see what is really going on?

 

[Beagle23]

Blackberry blossom and clover here. I have a large hedge around the garden containing the former so it's been nice to see my bees making a very short trip to and from it.

 

[JBallard2021]

Whoa! I did not know that. I live in a rural area of Texas and pay for the Nature ID app so that I can keep track of what bloomed from what to year and what the bees foraged on. I didn’t know the phone would ID plants.

 

[Mabee]

How does that work. I don’t see any i under any of mine

 

[Erichalfbee]

Good grief. I’ve had an iPhone for ten years and I never knew that. Thank you

 

[alancooper]

In West Fermanagh a bramble (group sylvaticii I think - asso) has been in flower for a couple of weeks the common bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.) is in bud but not yet open.

 

[plain_hunt]

If you have an iphone, there is an ’i’ under the photo, it’ll ID most plants and animals in your photo.

Mine doesn’t. You’ve got stars by your i, I don’t have. Mine just gives me the time, date and location of the plant. Shame, it would have been useful.

 

[Mabee]

Mine doesn’t. You’ve got stars by your i, I don’t have. Mine just gives me the time, date and location of the plant. Shame, it would have been useful.

is your Iphone updated? Maybe the photo isn’t clear, I find it only works when you take a fairly clear image of just the plant.

 

[plain_hunt]

is your Iphone updated? Maybe the photo isn’t clear, I find it only works when you take a fairly clear image of just the plant.

The phone isn’t saying it needs updating, and I thought the picture was a nice clear one. I’ll try taking it again!