What's flowering as forage in your area

[The Poot]

Where I am, the BBC forecast states “light rain” every day, through to the 3rd of April.

 

[JamezF]

Where I am, the BBC forecast states “light rain” every day, through to the 3rd of April.

The Met Office are offering a forecast based on "new weather data".

Using the current data, they're predicting a dry night with a low chance of any precipitation before dawn here. Using the new data, there's a high chance of showers from 3am to dawn.

I think I'll just look out of the window

James

 

[pargyle]

Where I am, the BBC forecast states “light rain” every day, through to the 3rd of April.

That's not good news ... bit further East than you but the weather patterns are the same just a few hours later usually.

Just about everything is coming into bud here - cherry tree starting to break, some bluebells are out, others on their way, celandines out in force, lilac trree in leaf and buds starting ... loads of pollen coming in today in the sun and all colonies very busy ... my overwintered Nuc looks stuffed with bees but it's an 8 frame modified 14 x 12 Paynes Poly nuc so I'm going to leave it and see what the weather does - another couple of frames won't make a lot of difference and I'd like to see more nectat before transferring them. Keeping an eye on the Horse Chestnuts as they are the first big flow for me. There looks like some rape fields about a mile and a half away as the bee flies but I doubt my lazy little beggars will go that far, plenty of stuff much nearer .. I can live without rape honey to be honest.

 

[pargyle]

The Met Office are offering a forecast based on "new weather data".

Using the current data, they're predicting a dry night with a low chance of any precipitation before dawn here. Using the new data, there's a high chance of showers from 3am to dawn.

I think I'll just look out of the window

James

Probably more accurate !

 

[E&MBees]

I have a damson tree in full flower that the bees work working hard today. Wouldn't surprise me if the weather didn't do for that over the next few days.

James

My damson is still in tight bud. Hopefully it might be ok.

 

[The Poot]

I find it interesting how location affects the flowering times. Blackthorn in the fields next to the apiary are still in bud, with only the odd bush in full flower.
I have a viburnum and a quince in flower, lots of celandine (mainly in the lawn) and a couple of camellias, which I’m keeping an eye on. I’ve noticed a number of bees getting pollen from them.
Mostly, my bees are getting willow pollen and water. Lots of bees all round the house getting water from every conceivable nook and cranny. So far the dogs (and the wife) have not been stung. Once a nectar flow starts, I expect the need for water to diminish.

 

[Antipodes]

I find it interesting how location affects the flowering times. Blackthorn in the fields next to the apiary are still in bud, with only the odd bush in full flower.
I have a viburnum and a quince in flower, lots of celandine (mainly in the lawn) and a couple of camellias, which I’m keeping an eye on. I’ve noticed a number of bees getting pollen from them.
Mostly, my bees are getting willow pollen and water. Lots of bees all round the house getting water from every conceivable nook and cranny. So far the dogs (and the wife) have not been stung. Once a nectar flow starts, I expect the need for water to diminish.

Yes, in the old days the beekeepers here used to chase the blackberry flow up into the hills from sea level as the season progressed.

 

[philipm]

I,ve given up on the met office forecasts in this area since they got rid of the people who worked out of RAE Aberporth things have gone down hill.They now depend on what a computer says instead of just using common sense and local knowledge. It always gets me how often BBC England will give a different forcast to BBC Wales and they will both be wrong.

 

[The Poot]

I,ve given up on the met office forecasts in this area since they got rid of the people who worked out of RAE Aberporth things have gone down hill.They now depend on what a computer says instead of just using common sense and local knowledge. It always gets me how often BBC England will give a different forcast to BBC Wales and they will both be wrong.

I’m very aware that when the MET forecast is 10% chance of rain, the dogs and me always get wet!

 

[Moobee]

This is my weather forecaster. More accurate than the met office tbh!

 

[Swarm]

Dandelions gleaming in the sunshine today.

 

[Somerford]

Dandelions, Victoria Plum, Crab Apple, OSR, Blackthorn, Field Plums - all in flower in N Wiltshire

KR

S

 

[alancooper]

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 ...???

I have seen honey bees collecting hazel pollen but it flowers so early that it is usually too cold for flying. Coppicing is carried out usually as a woodland conservation management strategy.

 

[Eyeman]

Bees are new to Anglesey but from a choice of celandine, ****, dandelion, plum the’re consistently going for the Alexander.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Ribes flowering locally!

 

[Moobee]

A large rosemary bush by the front door is keeping the bees busy between downpours.

 

[emoclewbee]

Blackthorn has been out in force for about week in Cork.
Woke up to lawns full of Daisies and Dandelions in flower today.

 

[E&MBees]

The Damson is humming today as I garden beneath it.

 

[Swarm]

No finer sight than a riot of dandelions in the verges, so bright and beautiful.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

The Damson is humming today as I garden beneath it.

My far paddock hedge contains a mixture of blackthorn, Hawthorne and brambles with a few damsons at intervals. The blackthorn is just starting to flower. Nearer the house I have apple trees, pear trees and plum. The pears are coming into blossom but apples and plums lagging a bit. We had snowdrops blooming along the track but they've gone over now. The snowdrops are replaced by celandines. The hellebores near the house are still flowering. The neighbours disused land at the other side of the hedge has a significant amount of willow which is a useful contributor when the weather is good for flying.