What's flowering as forage in your area

[Nighthaunt]

Bees going mad (both Honeybees and Bumbles) for Mahonia × media yesterday when checking the out apiary.

 

[Hornet Hive]

Girls feeding well off this flowering beauty - Viburnum Farrera

 

[user 819]

The pair of viburnums in my garden are giving off a strong aroma in this mild weather.

 

[Erichalfbee]

 

[CB60]

 

[Dodge]

View attachment 34414

What are the bees after, sugary solution from ripe apples or water that is warmer from an apple in the sun as I guess it heats up quicker than other water source available or a bit of both?

 

[Erichalfbee]

All I can tell you is that they are Bramleys. Wasps were on them too.

 

[Ian123]

In some parts of the world it’s common to see bees feeding on your fizzy drinks just like wasps.

 

[Moobee]

Anyone heard of or seen this? Beekeeper in USA feeds his bees bananas!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Anyone heard of or seen this? Beekeeper in USA feeds his bees bananas!

Saves him putting them in the hive, I suppose

 

[alancooper]

Ivy pollen loads most days here.

 

[Antipodes]

What are the bees after, sugary solution from ripe apples or water that is warmer from an apple in the sun as I guess it heats up quicker than other water source available or a bit of both?

If I remember correctly, Finman (a while back) said that fruit is not sugary enough for the bees to feed on. I think Michael ECB from South Africa posted about the bees feeding on fruits and Finman reckoned "no" to that idea (again, this is just my memory of the exchange).

 

[Sam G]

Anyone heard of or seen this? Beekeeper in USA feeds his bees bananas!

In the disorganised filofax that is my brain, i definitely remember seeing this a while back ... and then also remember once reading not to eat bananas before checking hives as bananas give off a smell that makes them nowty.

I don't think this was the exact story I read but it's along these lines
I guess some bees like them and some don't!

https://www.vatorex.com/blog/bee-culture-3/why-you-shouldnt-eat-a-banana-near-bee-hives-51

 

[Curly green finger's]

If I remember correctly, Finman (a while back) said that fruit is not sugary enough for the bees to feed on. I think Michael ECB from South Africa posted about the bees feeding on fruits and Finman reckoned "no" to that idea (again, this is just my memory of the exchange).

I think it was melons if I remember

 

[ericbeaumont]

guess some bees like them and some don't

No, it doesn't work that way.

The main chemical of the honey bee alarm pheromone is amyl acetate, which is the same chemical released when a banana is peeled, alcohol is produced or perfumes concocted.

The link you gave started out quite well but the banana information is sloppy: 'apparently the alarm pheromone smells a bit like banana' is lazy and vague info. and no use to anyone.

 

[Sutty]

And bees are so adaptable they can even be trained to associate their alarm pheromone with food!

 

[Sam G]

No, it doesn't work that way.

The main chemical of the honey bee alarm pheromone is amyl acetate, which is the same chemical released when a banana is peeled, alcohol is produced or perfumes concocted.

The link you gave started out quite well but the banana information is sloppy: 'apparently the alarm pheromone smells a bit like banana' is lazy and vague info. and no use to anyone.

Ahh, sorry, it was supposed to be tongue in cheek. I wasn't suggesting any of it was of any use to anyone, bees or people alike

 

[Belgianbeekeeper]

View attachment 34410

Bees going mad (both Honeybees and Bumbles) for Mahonia × media yesterday when checking the out apiary.

Same here veeeery good late season/winter plant,but the girls clearly prearing for winter,they collect loads of propolis from the wallnut trees.

 

[Belgianbeekeeper]

In some parts of the world it’s common to see bees feeding on your fizzy drinks just like wasps.

I collect my empty coke cans on a heap in the back of the garden,all year round,from mid october onwards my bees go for them,the rest of the year they get ignored.

 

[Belgianbeekeeper]

I think it was melons if I remember

If I remember correctly, Finman (a while back) said that fruit is not sugary enough for the bees to feed on. I think Michael ECB from South Africa posted about the bees feeding on fruits and Finman reckoned "no" to that idea (again, this is just my memory of the exchange).

Well Finman has it incorrect,w've a personal orchard near our hives and they clearly go for half rotten apples and in autum grapes,and they go plenty for it,not just a couple.