What's flowering as forage in your area

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Well, I may as well just retire. Now I've seen it all. Pollen on PI day...3/14. I think it's Silver Maple, but I see no maple trees in bloom.
Not even any swollen buds. The sugar makers are still boiling sap. Crazy

I'm afraid this doesn't mean much to me. Something to do with maple syrup manufacture? And why is it crazy?

 

[juno]

I’m on a road trip this weekend and I’ve just passed by many fields of Oil Seed Rape in the Fens.

 

[Paulypaul]

Wild strawberries.

 

[Amari]

Euphorbia has been in flower a few weeks - they last ages! The commonest insects within the flowers are ordinary-looking flies - I can't think of any other similar pairing. Presumably the flies are after pollen and ?nectar. For the last few days bees are also visiting.

 

[Michael Palmer]

I'm afraid this doesn't mean much to me. Something to do with maple syrup manufacture? And why is it crazy?

Oops, sorry for bringing Vermont terminology into it. Sugar makers are farmers who produce maple syrup. Typically in Vermont, half the syrup is made in March and half in April. This year some made syrup in January, and now it's just about over. Our local climate has gone crazy warm.
Speaking about bees, same thing concerning them. Typically, first pollen is in April. Last few years...April 7, April 12, April 20 for first pollen observed at the entrances. I've never seen pollen so early and I've been keeping track for years.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Lucky you. Bullfinches are magnificent. Always a source of wonder when we see one, though, come to think of it, I don't think I have in the six years since I moved south.

was in the home apiary today, looking at the blossom buds (and some open) on my damson tree and what landed, as bold as brass, eyeing said buds - a bullfinch, first one I've seen in years.
Unfortunately I also noticed that the robin's nest, where I expected hatchlings about now, was empty, totally robbed out. SWMBO has now lifted the embargo on squirrel shooting at Brynmair.

 

[Murox]

Well the gorse has been out for a little while now and yesterday I saw some celandine and even coltsfoot poking their heads out in sunny spots. The blackthorns are just starting to green up now as well.

 

[Sutty]

Willow has started flowering near my hives - the bees are piling it in!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

willows starting to open here as well

 

[Ambler]

Noticed a couple of fairly yellow OSR fields half a mile from home today.
Wandered down to the bees and they are going like gangbusters.
The Victoria plum tree just breaking into blossom.

 

[wightbees]

Not the best of days to take this photo . Rain again lol

 

[holmbee]

Willow almost oiut. Bees all over the blackthorn which is looking magnificent. Lots of yellow pollen coming in but no OSR in my location that I know.

 

[alancooper]

was in the home apiary today, looking at the blossom buds (and some open) on my damson tree and what landed, as bold as brass, eyeing said buds - a bullfinch, first one I've seen in years.
Unfortunately I also noticed that the robin's nest, where I expected hatchlings about now, was empty, totally robbed out. SWMBO has now lifted the embargo on squirrel shooting at Brynmair.

Greys or reds?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Greys or reds?

greys - they killed off the reds in this area decades ago

 

[Curly green finger's]

Girls all over the willow this afternoon up on the hills (500m)

 

[Macbear]

Noted that Countryfile, yesterday, featured conservationists pollarding hazels. Just wondered if there had been any thought given to the catkins as a source of forage for bees. Maybe, it is correct to coppice before trees begin to spring into growth, but ...???

 

[Macbear]

greys - they killed off the reds in this area decades ago

A nasty, introduced species are the greys. Like my pet hate - muntjac. The lack of suitable predators was not in the tiny minds of those who imported/bred them.

 

[Jon.21]

Went for a walk yesterday in the field near where I keep my bees to investigate the bright yellow flowers. Plenty of honeybees foraging on them. I took a photo on ObsIdentify app and it came back with turnip where as I thought it was OSR. Is this correct and if so is it as good for the bees as OSR?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

they're all brassicas - I would bet on your app not knowing the difference

 

[Erichalfbee]

they're all brassicas - I would bet on your app not knowing the difference

Yes pollen is similar too. Analysis of osr comes back as turnip.