What's flowering as forage in your area

[GuyNir]

I know it is a big ask, but can you pls try to convey the scent of ling heather nectar in your hives to me? I have seen a bit of heather honey in the brood nest of one colony, but all my hives smell the same. Here is hoping...

Hard to explain. Very distinct sweet floral scent. Best I can describe it.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I would but it's my first season smelling Heather in the hives..

Home apiary has had ghost bees this afternoon.. Now it's raining heavily and lightning storms again.

 

[jeff33]

I don't know what it is but I have an usual mid - August flow. Ivy is not out yet, brambles is over so it is probably clover.

 

[beeno]

Hard to explain. Very distinct sweet floral scent. Best I can describe it.

 

[beeno]

It smells alternate sweet sugar as if baking a sponge cake and nice scented floral perfume. I decided not to feed two hives a couple of weeks ago and it seems to have been the right call, so no sugar from me.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I don't know what it is but I have an usual mid - August flow. Ivy is not out yet, brambles is over so it is probably clover.

There's still some about I've seen.
This is turning out to be a strange summer, I've had to remove quite a few brood frames which have come in handy for my nucs.
Ive nucs which had queen's introduced on the 20th and 24th of June which are going into brood boxes, a/s splits from early June which are brood/half and three supers.
A colony which had a Bailey change in June ended up leaving the old brood box and have had two supers of honey and they have capped one and the second is Nectar..
My summer was looking not so good.
Still 8 colonys at 450metres only produced one super seems as if my apiarys a 1000ft below the ones at home have gone mad in the last week or two.

 

[drdrday]

Heather 800m from my home apiary.
lovely smell in the hives. Bees working hard.

View attachment 21546

Wow! Gorgeous view.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It smells alternate sweet sugar as if baking a sponge cake and nice scented floral perfume. I decided not to feed two hives a couple of weeks ago and it seems to have been the right call, so no sugar from me.

Why ask if you think you know - smells nothing at all like you describe for sure

 

[simonforeman]

There's still some about I've seen.
This is turning out to be a strange summer, I've had to remove quite a few brood frames which have come in handy for my nucs.
Ive nucs which had queen's introduced on the 20th and 24th of June which are going into brood boxes, a/s splits from early June which are brood/half and three supers.
A colony which had a Bailey change in June ended up leaving the old brood box and have had two supers of honey and they have capped one and the second is Nectar..
My summer was looking not so good.
Still 8 colonys at 450metres only produced one super seems as if my apiarys a 1000ft below the ones at home have gone mad in the last week or two.

Thought the flow was over here until beginning of last week when I spotted a big field of white mustard in full flower that I didn't know was there and its only 200 yards from my hives. Summer honey off and they ard now on their 2nd supers of this late crop.

 

[beeno]

Why ask if you think you know - smells nothing at all like you describe for sure

I do not know what crop the smell relates to that's why I asked. I do not know what crop other than heather is available on any material scale here.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I do not know what crop the smell relates to that's why I asked. I do not know what crop other than heather is available on any material scale here.

Apart from dandelion, I struggle to 'describe' smell.
If you've ever had a jar , or tasted proper heather honey, then the aroma at the hives is similar. Heather has a distinct 'robust' taste and smell. Intense honey tones but with not much indication of sweetness, rather fruity/earthy tones.Heather, especially when being extracted can also sometimes have a slight vinegary background aroma. whenever bees are on the heather you can smell it in the hives from yards away, Some would even say (like my mother) the smell can sometimes be sickly. Fresh heather nectar/honey in the comb has a deep orangey appearance (sort of Lucozade colour) and has a distinct sheen to it you can easily see on the comb the band of heather compared to other floral honey.

 

[beeno]

Apart from dandelion, I struggle to 'describe' smell.
If you've ever had a jar , or tasted proper heather honey, then the aroma at the hives is similar. Heather has a distinct 'robust' taste and smell. Intense honey tones but with not much indication of sweetness, rather fruity/earthy tones.Heather, especially when being extracted can also sometimes have a slight vinegary background aroma. whenever bees are on the heather you can smell it in the hives from yards away, Some would even say (like my mother) the smell can sometimes be sickly. Fresh heather nectar/honey in the comb has a deep orangey appearance (sort of Lucozade colour) and has a distinct sheen to it you can easily see on the comb the band of heather compared to other floral honey.

Thanks Jenkins - I will go with your mother that the smell is sickly, but there is another fresher perfume going on as well. Have to consult my microscope in due course.

 

[Nannysbees]

I decided as a new beekeeper (this year) to grow from seed borage, and its now in flower, I didn't think it would be successful as its an early flowing plant but due to the weather I have borders full of lovely blue flowers with a plentyful supply of nectar

 

[Curly green finger's]

I've extracted this 22lbs from a super in the garden summer honey it's very dark and reddish in colour
Ideas what it might be.

 

[enrico]

I've extracted this 22lbs from a super in the garden summer honey it's very dark and reddish in colour
Ideas what it might be.
View attachment 21556

All my honey has been much darker this year for some reason!

 

[Erichalfbee]

I've extracted this 22lbs from a super in the garden summer honey it's very dark and reddish in colour
Ideas what it might be.
View attachment 21556

Have you got any knotweed nearby

 

[Curly green finger's]

Have you got any knotweed nearby

I don't think I've seen it but then I've never looked in ever nock and crany of this hear hill.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Ivy in flower in Sittingbourne, Kent.

 

[Amari]

Apart from dandelion, I struggle to 'describe' smell.
If you've ever had a jar , or tasted proper heather honey, then the aroma at the hives is similar. Heather has a distinct 'robust' taste and smell. Intense honey tones but with not much indication of sweetness, rather fruity/earthy tones.Heather, especially when being extracted can also sometimes have a slight vinegary background aroma. whenever bees are on the heather you can smell it in the hives from yards away, Some would even say (like my mother) the smell can sometimes be sickly. Fresh heather nectar/honey in the comb has a deep orangey appearance (sort of Lucozade colour) and has a distinct sheen to it you can easily see on the comb the band of heather compared to other floral honey.

Are you describing bell heather or ling heather honey - or a mixture?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Are you describing bell heather or ling heather honey - or a mixture?

Ling