What's flowering as forage in your area

[F.F.Stung]

The berries are a potent herbal medicine for many heart complaints. High or low blood pressure (this unbelievable normalising ability is due to it strengthening the heart ,and the cleansing and strengthening of the arteries) A lot of heart complaints arise from stress and worry, and hawthorn is known to relieve stress, and is totally safe. The daily dose is to drink the juice strained from from about 20 berries brought to the boil in cupful of water. Burst the berries (not the stones)with a masher to extract all the juice.

I should have mentioned that the hawthorn berries are at their best when the bright red colour has darkened a bit. I store them in the freezer and they will keep good well over a year.

 

[Erichalfbee]

The berries are a potent herbal medicine for many heart complaints. High or low blood pressure

But take advice if you are taking medication already for these conditions. Most good herbalists are aware of this, by the way

 

[Antipodes]

Waratah in full bloom. The story about why the nectar is red is below.


https://dreamtime.net.au/waratah/

 

[Curly green finger's]

Waratah in full bloom. The story about why the nectar is red is below.
View attachment 22781View attachment 22781

https://dreamtime.net.au/waratah/

Thanks for sharing I've not looked at the link, but was wondering what plant species it is??

 

[Antipodes]

Thanks for sharing I've not looked at the link, but was wondering what plant species it is??

It's a type of protea. My photo is of a plant growing in Tasmania but is not our native variety, which is less showy. Our variety is linked below and grows well in England apparently as it likes the similarly cool, moist climate ...like we have here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telopea_truncata

 

[The Poot]

It's a type of protea. My photo is of a plant growing in Tasmania but is not our native variety, which is less showy. Our variety is linked below and grows well in England apparently as it likes the similarly cool, moist climate ...like we have here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telopea_truncata

“Cool moist climate” - the understatement of the month methinks.....

 

[janetbee]

Well, those beautiful photos make my bedraggled Michaelmas daisies look rather unimpressive, although I have lots of them- self-seeded I presume. The weather is too wet and windy for foraging anything but fondant. The temperature isn't actually cold but it feels cold

 

[seillean mil]

Woo-hoo! I think that somewhere there is some ivy that has finally flowered up here in The Highlands.
The bees are out in force, despite a strong (but warm) wind, and there is a lovely, summery smell of honey and pollen is being brought in by the basketful.

 

[seillean mil]

Woo-hoo! I think that somewhere there is some ivy that has finally flowered up here in The Highlands.
The bees are out in force, despite a strong (but warm) wind, and there is a lovely, summery smell of honey and pollen is being brought in by the basketful.

Almost at the same time when I posted the above, another beekeeper who lives half a mile from me was saying on Facebook that it was Mahonia.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Almost at the same time when I posted the above, another beekeeper who lives half a mile from me was saying on Facebook that it was Mahonia.

Mahonia flowering now?

 

[seillean mil]

Mahonia flowering now?

This is his actual image from today....we are in balmy Scotland don't forget.


https://www.sundaygardener.co.uk/growing_mahonias.html

 

[Curly green finger's]

Bee's back on the ivy today 14 c at home lovely calm day.
Also noticed some bright white pollen any ideas??
Also just got back from feeding 45kgs of fondant...
Had to use a head torch

 

[Curly green finger's]

This is his actual image from today....we are in balmy Scotland don't forget.

View attachment 22815
https://www.sundaygardener.co.uk/growing_mahonias.html

I've seen some about to open in Shropshire this week.
Plus bulbs which look like white crocus.

15c today and we have looked at 1 of 5 three box systems we are running. these colonys are big, spreading out over all three boxes consisting of omf floor, super, brood, super, - all three are BCs and no qxs all season... We are checking to compare against our double brood colonys..
This is the colony we looked through today the first one in the picture.

 

[seillean mil]

15c today and we have looked at 1 of 5 three box systems we are running. these colonys are big, spreading out over all three boxes consisting of omf floor, super, brood, super, - all three are BCs and no qxs all season.

I like the sound of that style of keeping them,

 

[Curly green finger's]

I like the sound of that style of keeping them,

It works very well, queens has to be marked if there black, red tailed queen's no need I find them very easy.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Also noticed some bright white pollen any ideas?

Viburnum tinus is in flower down here, Mark, and the pollen is ivory white.

 

[Antipodes]

Tea-tree honey is not for everyone, but the flower is attractive at present.
View attachment VID_20201109_102516038 (1).mp4

 

[happyculteur]

Very little activity in october, but november 1st is the day when in France nearly everyone visits relatives' graves and leaves plants. That's 2 weeks now that when it's warm enough my bees are bringing in yellow pollen. I thought it was just some dandelion that is reflowering a bit, but today I went to the cemetary just across the road from me, and there was quite a bit of activity on the many chrysanthemum plants that were decorating the graveyard. Funnily enough, they were only interested in the yellow ones. ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Very little activity in october, but november 1st is the day when in France nearly everyone visits relatives' graves and leaves plants. That's 2 weeks now that when it's warm enough my bees are bringing in yellow pollen. I thought it was just some dandelion that is reflowering a bit, but today I went to the cemetary just across the road from me, and there was quite a bit of activity on the many chrysanthemum plants that were decorating the graveyard. Funnily enough, they were only interested in the yellow ones. ?

Pyrethrums in chrysanthemum. Enough to affect the mites?

 

[Swn58]

Spotted a few days ago on a Mahonia at Sandwell, West Midlands.