What's flowering as forage in your area

[Erichalfbee]

So what I hope happens next is that the goldfinches enjoy the seeds.

Fred.

The bees here are in the knapweed in numbers I’ve never seen. From morning till dusk. The goldfinches come down in flocks later in the year

 

[Woodland bees]

Our bees are always on our knapweed at this time of year, some years there seems to be much more knapweed in flower than others.

This year there seems to be a good crop of it and about an acre for them to harvest from.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Knapweed honey....now that I would like to try
Lots of pollen coming in from those

 

[REDWOOD]

Sunflowers and HB

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Was tweeted earlier from the Drysgol (hte mountain behind me) to say the heather there was looking good and alive with bees, I thought I could smell heather in the hives yesterday. How much we'll get I don't know as much of the mountain to the North and East was hammered in a Massive March wildfire. But the heather is looking good, even down in the foothills

 

[Gunzo]

All my hives are on the Himalayan balsam by the looks of it. There backs are white and I’ve added 4ths and 5ths To a few as I can see them starting to backfill.
long may the weather continue this week. Pushes my extracting back a week or so But great predicament to have

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

All my hives are on the Japanese balsam

Do you mean the part of Japan that's in the Himalayas?

 

[Gunzo]

Do you mean the part of Japan that's in the Himalayas?

Can’t say I wasn’t waiting for that as I was editing

 

[GuyNir]

Still a flow on, as bees busy fanning at the entrance + the unmistaken signs of bees foraging on HB (first time seen this year).

 

[Newbeeneil]

Bee defending on the Heather on Black Down this afternoon

 

[thorn]

The abandoned sports ground near me has been giving for months. It's now full of ragwort, and on a stroll through it this morning I saw plenty of honeybees working it.

 

[beeno]

Was tweeted earlier from the Drysgol (hte mountain behind me) to say the heather there was looking good and alive with bees, I thought I could smell heather in the hives yesterday. How much we'll get I don't know as much of the mountain to the North and East was hammered in a Massive March wildfire. But the heather is looking good, even down in the foothills

Could you pls describe the scent of heather nectar?

 

[beeno]

The abandoned sports ground near me has been giving for months. It's now full of ragwort, and on a stroll through it this morning I saw plenty of honeybees working it.View attachment 21533View attachment 21534

On a stroll, I always pull it out as it has got shallow root system. Very invasive too, so trying to nip it in the bud.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Could you pls describe the scent of heather nectar?

Heavens that’s tricky. I find it nearly impossible to describe aromas unless I can relate them to something else
Dandelion nectar for example smells of old sweaty socks to me as does the honey though it does mature.
How would you describe the scent of a lavender flower?

 

[Erichalfbee]

The abandoned sports ground near me has been giving for months. It's now full of ragwort, and on a stroll through it this morning I saw plenty of honeybees working it.View attachment 21533View attachment 21534

It’s pretty good for pollinators of all kinds and it’s so nice to see it dotted around the grass verges. I think the honey is a bit yuk though but that’s only hearsay

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Could you pls describe the scent of heather nectar?

It smells the same as a mix of purple and green, or the number five tastes like

 

[Gilberdyke John]

On a stroll, I always pull it out as it has got shallow root system. Very invasive too, so trying to nip it in the bud.

As a horse owner I hate the stuff. Wind borne seeds continuously attempt to establish in my grazing.

 

[GuyNir]

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

 

[beeno]

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

View attachment 21546View attachment 21547View attachment 21548

 

[beeno]

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...