What's flowering as forage in your area

[Erichalfbee]

3 years ago a few acres of pine across the valley were cut down. The following year there was anew forest of RBWH. I had crazy amounts of honey that year I thought mostly from the bramble. I thought the rosebay was too far for the bees to fly to but I had a pollen analysis done and the honey was mostly rosebay

 

[philipm]

I,ve noticed this year that everything is not all flowering at once as in previous years.If the weather holds there should be a good spring flow.The snowdrops and willow have now finished and the apple trees and pears are flowering no sign of the Sycamore ,Hawthorn or Chestnut yet.Also a bumper crop of Dandelions.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Dandelions are going over here in mid coastal wales.
The sycamore trees are humming and the Hawthorn is just starting to open.
Holly trees and bushes in the hedgerows are groaning with buds on the cusp.
Even the oak trees are buzzing with hover flies bumbles and honey bees. A strange year with lots out at once.
There are even flower buds on the bramble and rosebay is a four tall.

 

[Curley]

Bluebells

So bluebells. Not, I realise, usually rated as a great source of forage for our bees but the last couple of days when taking a walk alongside a nearby bluebell wood I have noticed a really clear hyacinth perfume. Again, I know bluebells are a wild hyacinth but I have walked in bluebell woods in various parts of England and Wales over the years and have never noticed such a strong perfume. Is this normal or am I just having a stroke or something?

 

[Swarm]

So bluebells. Not, I realise, usually rated as a great source of forage for our bees but the last couple of days when taking a walk alongside a nearby bluebell wood I have noticed a really clear hyacinth perfume. Again, I know bluebells are a wild hyacinth but I have walked in bluebell woods in various parts of England and Wales over the years and have never noticed such a strong perfume. Is this normal or am I just having a stroke or something?

Quite normal I smell it every spring, there are loads of them nearby. When I had hives in the garden, they had the same smell and lots of creamy white pollen going in. I see honey bees all over them.

 

[Curley]

Thanks Swarm. Lovely smell it was. I shall keep an nose out for it next year.

 

[philipm]

Dandelions are going over here in mid coastal wales.
The sycamore trees are humming and the Hawthorn is just starting to open.
Holly trees and bushes in the hedgerows are groaning with buds on the cusp.
Even the oak trees are buzzing with hover flies bumbles and honey bees. A strange year with lots out at once.
There are even flower buds on the bramble and rosebay is a four tall.

Its strange how a few miles can make a big difference,it may be down to how far we are away from the sea or living at the bottom of the valley. That's nature for you.

 

[tonyofarr]

Dandelions are going over here in mid coastal wales.
The sycamore trees are humming and the Hawthorn is just starting to open.
Holly trees and bushes in the hedgerows are groaning with buds on the cusp.
Even the oak trees are buzzing with hover flies bumbles and honey bees. A strange year with lots out at once.
There are even flower buds on the bramble and rosebay is a four tall.

It is like that here, I even saw a dog rose flowering in a hedge yesterday. I am not sorry the dandelions are finishing either, it smells like wet dogs to me and every colony is full of it!

 

[Erichalfbee]

It is like that here, I even saw a dog rose flowering in a hedge yesterday. I am not sorry the dandelions are finishing either, it smells like wet dogs to me and every colony is full of it!

But the honey is wonderful.

 

[E&MBees]

Walked along some very quiet sheltered footpaths today, lots of early spring flowers still going strong, Primroses, Violets and Cowslips. Also the later flowers coming too, Red Campion, Wild Garlic, Buttercups, Speedwell and Bluebells to name but a few.

 

[Angry_Mob]

Noticed first strawberry plant is well in flower.

 

[beeno]

Noticed first strawberry plant is well in flower.

Mine too, but I have not seen any pollinators on them yet!

 

[Curly green finger's]

Dandelions at there peak now, the famale sallow willow are going over.
Ash, oak, maple, crab apple, ornimental cherry, slows are in full swing.
Greenish, orange, white, cream, brown, even some blue pollen going in yesterday don't now what that could be the blue pollen?

Harwthorne on the clusp.. Is this the year for it. Every Severn!??

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[jenkinsbrynmair]

Noticed first strawberry plant is well in flower.

The alpine and wild ones have been flowering for a couple of weeks here, the standards for at least seven days

 

[Murox]

Dandelions at there peak now, the famale sallow willow are going over.
Ash, oak, maple, crab apple, ornimental cherry, slows are in full swing.
Greenish, orange, white, cream, brown, even some blue pollen going in yesterday don't now what that could be the blue pollen?

Harwthorne on the clusp.. Is this the year for it. Every Severn!??

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At first I thought of Caryopteris and Phacelia but its early for them, could be Scillia or perhaps early blackberry if its a greyish blue ?

 

[tonyofarr]

Dandelions at there peak now, the famale sallow willow are going over.
Ash, oak, maple, crab apple, ornimental cherry, slows are in full swing.
Greenish, orange, white, cream, brown, even some blue pollen going in yesterday don't now what that could be the blue pollen?

Harwthorne on the clusp.. Is this the year for it. Every Severn!??

Sent from my YAL-L21 using Tapatalk

I don't think it will be the year for Hawthorne down here, I have looked at a load of weather forecasts and they are saying rain and wind until mid May; will probably blow the buds and blossom of the Hawthornes (again).

 

[Murox]

Hawthorne likes warm, humid and not too windy - once every 7 years sounds about right !!

 

[Frodesley]

Osr

Oodles of OCR, surrounded by the stuff. In the garden there is apple blossom, rosemary and loads of dandelions. Hawthorn is also flowering. I’m also in South Shropshire near Church Stretton

 

[Curly green finger's]

Oodles of OCR, surrounded by the stuff. In the garden there is apple blossom, rosemary and loads of dandelions. Hawthorn is also flowering. I’m also in South Shropshire near Church Stretton

Where abouts I'm on the titterstone Clee, church stretton is 45 mins from me.
My sister in law lives in stretton.

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[Saluki]

what that could be the blue pollen?

In my garden spanish bluebell and echium both have blue pollen at the moment.