What's flowering as forage in your area

[Swarm]

Watched a queen wasp stop for a sweet treat on my Sarracenia, she became lunch.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Pitcher plant in France eats bee-killing Asian hornets https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33847252

 

[JamezF]

Watched a queen wasp stop for a sweet treat on my Sarracenia, she became lunch.

A queen wasp sandwich? Do you have that with pickle or mayonnaise?

James

 

[Moobee]

Here too. I'm told that bramble is now possibly the main forage, replacing what clover once was. Also, I heard that there are so many varieties that it has a long flowering period across the land. However, I'm not sure if the bees in any one locality would benefit from this. Is it possible that in one area there could be several varieties providing forage for several weeks?

View attachment 40164According to various books, bramble can flower right through to the first frosts so i'm guessing there is probably more than one variety.

 

[Moobee]

Grey blackberry pollen going into the hives today and dandelion don’t know what the bright white pollen was though and black pollen. (Garden hives)

White can be basil

 

[Dibbler]

Grey blackberry pollen going into the hives today and dandelion don’t know what the bright white pollen was though and black pollen. (Garden hives)

The white pollen could be Thyme. In my garden I have several large plants in full flower and its covered in bees.

 

[Dibbler]

Nope too
Looking forward to these in a few weeks. We have about twenty self seeded in the garden.

I feel I should know what plant this is, but can't remember. I love the leaves.
If I can get a couple I have plenty of room to plant them in the hive area.
I have a lot of hawksbeard in that area.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I feel I should know what plant this is, but can't remember. I love the leaves.
If I can get a couple I have plenty of room to plant them in the hive area.
I have a lot of hawksbeard in that area.

This is Mullein I got seeds from a friend a few years back and it’s now established in the garden. It likes to grow in cracks. It self seeds like mad, is a biennial and I simply pull out the plants that are in the way.

 

[Dibbler]

This is Mullein I got seeds from a friend a few years back and it’s now established in the garden. It likes to grow in cracks. It self seeds like mad, is a biennial and I simply pull out the plants that are in the way.

Thank you. I've looked on the Internet and it seems to be an amazing plant. Used widely in herbal medicine. People sell the dried leaves to make tea.
I will look out for some seeds.

 

[Garry R]

Thank you. I've looked on the Internet and it seems to be an amazing plant. Used widely in herbal medicine. People sell the dried leaves to make tea.
I will look out for some seeds.

When I see bees covering minor plants in the garden I am grateful for the contribution but I reason that there is no major flow on and they are a bit desperate, When there is little activity oin the garden I feel the clover and blackberry have arrived and yes, the hive entrances are much more active and the bees are much more scattered on the major sources as there is an abundance of choice - not all concentrated on a few plants in my herb garden.

 

[Aneebe]

Visited Mount Stewart National Trust and had total bee-forage envy. Stunning gardens and house. Swathes of beautiful alliums but the huge flight of steps mass planted with Mexican fleebane was the star - just vibrating with all sorts of bees. Joy.

 

[E&MBees]

Bramble is flowering a few metres from the hives. It was like the M25, solid traffic between the two.

 

[Wingy]

Bramble all over the place here and HB won’t be far off either as it’s 3’ high in places now

 

[Curly green finger's]

Well I’ve for the first time seen the bees collecting nectar from the buttercups

 

[JamezF]

Well I’ve for the first time seen the bees collecting nectar from the buttercups

I guess that answers the question for certain then

James

 

[Curly green finger's]

It does, there wasn’t masses of bees but I walked through a 3 acre field and counted 12 or so on the buttercups

I guess that answers the question for certain then

James

 

[emoclewbee]

In Waterford for the Bank Holiday, and spotted some bees on the brambles. I was here this time last year and first brambles were just flowering, the following week they starting in my home apiary. Of course the rain came then last year.
Seem a little earlier this year, hopefully the weather will be better.

 

[rolande]

A seemingly small patch of sainfoin, one of my favourite bee plants. As recently as 2019 the entire stand consisted of less than 50 plants so there's hope.

 

[Curly green finger's]

A seemingly small patch of sainfoin, one of my favourite bee plants. As recently as 2019 the entire stand consisted of less than 50 plants so there's hope.View attachment 40215View attachment 40216

That looks beautiful

 

[Newbeeneil]

White can be basil

That’s interesting, I had a colony bringing in bright white pollen yesterday.