What's flowering as forage in your area

[beeno]

Yellow and orange pollen being collected here too.

 

[Amari]

Should I be concerned that there are no flights from my hives? Seems a lot of people reporting foraging activity already !

Check that the hive entrances are not blocked by dead bees. Apply your ear to the wall of the brood box, listening for the buzz.
My hives in shade are only slightly active.

 

[LeaBees]

Check that the hive entrances are not blocked by dead bees. Apply your ear to the wall of the brood box, listening for the buzz.
My hives in shade are only slightly active.

Been peeking through the clear crown board and they are definitely there/moving about...

 

[Swarm]

And looking really happy from that photo.

 

[Curly green finger's]

And looking really happy from that photo.

Strong looking colony we looked at some three box hives yesterday and they were clustered, the biggest colony had 7 seems of bee's.
These are colonys that had no feed in autumn 2 out of 5 had 3/4 kgs of fondant yesterday
hitch hicker which had a warm in my hand and then taken to one of the garden hives.

 

[Murox]

View attachment 24162
Been peeking through the clear crown board and they are definitely there/moving about...

Thats impressive for January.

 

[Amari]

View attachment 24162
Been peeking through the clear crown board and they are definitely there/moving about...

That looks stronger than any of my colonies! I don't know how easy it is to heft WBC hives but make sure they have enough food. If in doubt put fondant over the feed-hole within an eke.

 

[Newbeeneil]

That looks stronger than any of my colonies! I don't know how easy it is to heft WBC hives but make sure they have enough food. If in doubt put fondant over the feed-hole within an eke.

Yes, I had two of my hives looking like that when I checked recently. I was concerned, after hefting, that there were too many bees, too early, to get through to spring so added fondant on the crown-board.

 

[beeno]

Yes, I had two of my hives looking like that when I checked recently. I was concerned, after hefting, that there were too many bees, too early, to get through to spring so added fondant on the crown-board.

I seem to recall someone on the forum that said the bees should be lower down in the hive and that it meant that they were short of food if they were all up the top like the photo.

 

[drex]

I seem to recall someone on the forum that said the bees should be lower down in the hive and that it meant that they were short of food if they were all up the top like the photo.

I had been told that too. This year, opening hives to put on pollen patties on a milder day, I saw many bees on the top bars. The hives hefted ok. Quickly slipping out a few frames, there were plenty of stores much lower down than the bees.
I can only assume that, being sensible, the bees were feeding up in the warmest part of the hive, with the heat rising to the top ( outside of any cluster)

 

[BoStor]

Am trying to establish a small flowering meadow and to rework other beds to grow pollinators which will be close to my hives. Read somewhere that bees need some flight distance to travel from pollen/nectar source to hive for better honey process, surely my own bees will still profit from my efforts?

 

[Brewer24]

Am trying to establish a small flowering meadow and to rework other beds to grow pollinators which will be close to my hives. Read somewhere that bees need some flight distance to travel from pollen/nectar source to hive for better honey process, surely my own bees will still profit from my efforts?

My bees ignore my wild flower bed in my garden and disappear across the fields. Thinking of just mowing it back into grass paddock?

 

[Swarm]

What about all the other pollinators?

 

[beeno]

Am trying to establish a small flowering meadow and to rework other beds to grow pollinators which will be close to my hives. Read somewhere that bees need some flight distance to travel from pollen/nectar source to hive for better honey process, surely my own bees will still profit from my efforts?

The problem with bees in this context is that they are flower constant and it may not be enough of one species in your meadow at a time to make it worthwhile for them if there is better pickings within their foraging range. Saying that, in spring my bees are on bluebells (Spanish variety) and cilla and on white clover in my "lawn", but that is not a wildflower meadow. I personally don't think distance is a problem at all, but the quality and quantity of honey bee forage in the meadow itself. Having a beautiful meadow is good for the soul, so I would go for it!

 

[beeno]

I had been told that too. This year, opening hives to put on pollen patties on a milder day, I saw many bees on the top bars. The hives hefted ok. Quickly slipping out a few frames, there were plenty of stores much lower down than the bees.
I can only assume that, being sensible, the bees were feeding up in the warmest part of the hive, with the heat rising to the top ( outside of any cluster)

I guess for beginners, caveat being that they hefted ok.

 

[Amari]

I seem to recall someone on the forum that said the bees should be lower down in the hive and that it meant that they were short of food if they were all up the top like the photo.

I had been told that too. This year, opening hives to put on pollen patties on a milder day, I saw many bees on the top bars. The hives hefted ok. Quickly slipping out a few frames, there were plenty of stores much lower down than the bees.
I can only assume that, being sensible, the bees were feeding up in the warmest part of the hive, with the heat rising to the top ( outside of any cluster)

Yes, I distinctly remember being taught (1972) by the county beekeeper, John Cossburn, at Sparsholt Agricultural College that bees at the top of the hive = imminent starvation because all the stores used up.
Maybe that was true in the days of matchsticks and top ventilation, but now we know better, thanks to the teaching on this forum.

 

[Swarm]

Last time I looked in hives, start of January, I saw bees at the top, bees down in the bottom box, some clustered and others not.

 

[Curly green finger's]

The problem with bees in this context is that they are flower constant and it may not be enough of one species in your meadow at a time to make it worthwhile for them if there is better pickings within their foraging range. Saying that, in spring my bees are on bluebells (Spanish variety) and cilla and on white clover in my "lawn", but that is not a wildflower meadow. I personally don't think distance is a problem at all, but the quality and quantity of honey bee forage in the meadow itself. Having a beautiful meadow is good for the soul, so I would go for it!

Another point is the weather, on bad weather days bees will forage closer to home if possible so don't be put of planting flowers locally or even in your garden.

 

[beeno]

Another point is the weather, on bad weather days bees will forage closer to home if possible so don't be put of planting flowers locally or even in your garden.

Yes, mine forage in the garden in spring if it is cold or windy.

 

[Swarm]

If you have hives in the garden, watch the activity throughout the season and you will find they do forage in your garden. Not an entire work force obviously but you will be able to watch them heading back to your hives, it's lovely.