What's flowering as forage in your area

[Moobee]

Lots of Fleabane near my apiary but I've never seen bees on it, I'm not convinced. Orange pollen coming in at a different site this weekend. Bees here were very busy on Balsam but there is also a fairly large stand of Knotweed, covered in blossom at the moment.

Went to a fellow beek's apiary about 2 miles up the road with a massive field of fleabane beside it. Bees were all over it. Maybe yours have found something nicer!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Hard times in North London when bees forage on overripe figs; neighbour called for pruning advice and the tree had plenty of bees and barely a wasp.

View attachment 37432

We've got a fig growing in a large (18") pot. Anyone know the rate of growth and how long before it be begins to fruit?

 

[ericbeaumont]

rate of growth

Figs roots are rampant if unchecked and will produce plenty of top growth and less fruit.

Old planting method was to make a box of paving slabs, fill with a foot of brick rubble, then top soil. May work in a book, but roots find a way to shift the box and away they go.

Figs stressed by pot growth may produce more fruit. Dry weather or lack of water will reduce juice.

Prune old growth in spring to a framework and new growth at Mid-summer's Day to 4 or 5 buds, which will divert energy to fruit.

Remove fruit larger than a pea that survive winter; the rest will fruit that year.

The expert UK fig nursery (may have held a collection) was Reads at Hales Hall in Norfolk, hidden down sleepy lanes that led eventually to the 17th century.

Alas, they packed it in a few years ago and the current site is a lightweight blog that stated that the best time to prune cherries is late winter to spring! What better way to introduce silver leaf!

 

[thorn]

Harewood bridge has been closed for repairs for several weeks, so I've had to approach my apiary on the far side of the Wharfe from a different direction. It's open again this week and when I went to inspect I couldn't believe what I found in flower just a few hundred yards from the apiary.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Harewood bridge has been closed for repairs for several weeks, so I've had to approach my apiary on the far side of the Wharfe from a different direction. It's open again this week and when I went to inspect I couldn't believe what I found in flower just a few hundred yards from the apiary.View attachment 37433View attachment 37433

Are the bees foraging there?

 

[thorn]

Are the bees foraging there?

I would imagine so, unless they prefer the HB lining the field edges between the apiary and the sunflowers.

 

[Malcolm B.]

I've seen a great number of our bees bringing in pollen that is a grey, 'dry earth' colour.
I wonder if somebody could enlighten me which plants they are visiting.
Many thanks.
Malcolm B.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I would imagine so, unless they prefer the HB lining the field edges between the apiary and the sunflowers.

I suppose you have supers off. It would be interesting to see if you got honey from them. My daughter lives in Berlin and sunflower honey is very popular there

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Snowberry

Yes! Flowering and fruiting together, with masses of honey bees and hornet mimic hoverflies.

 

[Swarm]

I've seen a great number of our bees bringing in pollen that is a grey, 'dry earth' colour.
I wonder if somebody could enlighten me which plants they are visiting.
Many thanks.
Malcolm B.

The last throws of Bramble perhaps, that's grey in colour.

 

[Swarm]

As of this morning, Ivy in flower.

 

[Beegarden]

Any idea what this is? Poor photo I know but a friend sent it and said it was covered in honeys

Could it be Abelia? It's usually bumbles though, rather than honey bees on mine.

 

[Nannysbees]

Strong smell coming from the hives

 

[Murox]

Mainly Ragwort and Knapweed at the moment.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Could it be Abelia?

Flower similar but leaf shape different.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Watched some bees collecting from these yesterday while picking some blackberries.
I’m also noticing that the bees would rather forage on the last of the blackberry flowers than work all the hb that is around anyone else noticed this?

They are hiding!

 

[Curly green finger's]

The hill side was humming to

 

[Erichalfbee]

I’m also noticing that the bees would rather forage on the last of the blackberry flowers than work all the hb that is around anyone else noticed this?

Not at all. Every bee coming home is white dotted. Have you no white bees?

 

[Moobee]

Not at all. Every bee coming home is white dotted. Have you no white bees?

Is it just a whitish dot on the thorax? I’ve had a few coming back with that and wondered if it might be HB. Wasn’t aware we had any locally……

 

[Swarm]

Watched some bees collecting from these yesterday while picking some blackberries.
I’m also noticing that the bees would rather forage on the last of the blackberry flowers than work all the hb that is around anyone else noticed this?

Lots of little white stripes at the hives, the Balsam seems to have spread further on the farm this year. I was waiting for my lift home having been dropped off and I noticed the same as you, bees on the last, late flowers and the fruit as well.