What's flowering as forage in your area

[Amari]

Now, that's strange! Lots of OSR sown in this area every year and I usually expect to see flowers by the end of March. However this year OSR is way behind, none of it more than 6" high and in many fields it has been decimated - damaged foliage at ground level. No flowers.
Maybe flea beetle? pigeons (flocks of them++)? seed sown in severe drought last August?

Pics of local OSR taken today. Some fields are totally devastated - hardly any plants seen, some are patchy, a few better with flower buds but not yet knee-high.

 

[jimcrowch]

Sarcococca in full bloom here, masses of visiting bees, anyone know what colour pollen to expect from it?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Sarcococca in full bloom here, masses of visiting bees, anyone know what colour pollen to expect from it?

Watch them?

 

[W0otz]

Dandelion and deadnettle are well out around here now. Bonus dog.


Bees have been flying strongly the past couple of days and piling in pollen.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Blackthorn bursting into life in all the hedgerows around here., willow catkins still going strong in the higher areas, carpets of dandelions everywhere now.

 

[Swarm]

First few Bluebells in flower this morning.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Has every body spotted how much blackthorn is in bloom. Never see it so good. On the prunus theme we have a few Bullace trees in the garden and the blossom is astounding

 

[The Poot]

Has every body spotted how much blackthorn is in bloom. Never see it so good. On the prunus theme we have a few Bullace trees in the garden and the blossom is astounding
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Yes the blackthorn is very good here too, but try as I might, I’ve not seen a bee on it yet.
The fields adjacent to the apiary, last year were yellow with dandelions - this year hardly any as the farmer weed killed, ploughed and reseeded them
So, I don’t know what the bees are currently getting, but getting they are! I’ve seen a few on the wild plums on the river bank though.

 

[JimBee463]

Has every body spotted how much blackthorn is in bloom. Never see it so good. On the prunus theme we have a few Bullace trees in the garden and the blossom is astounding
View attachment 35768

We have a fair bit of Blackthorn in flower around here too. We have 3 plum trees in the garden but not much interest from the bees just yet - mind you they are finding something outside the garden as they've been really busy over the last few weeks back and forth from the hive with both pollen and nectar, so there's something nearby that they're foraging on (something in one of the local woodlands or hedgerows no doubt).

We also get stacks of Bramble in the local lanes so i'm presuming they'll be all over that once it blossoms.

 

[Erichalfbee]

We also get stacks of Bramble in the local lanes so i'm presuming they'll be all over that once it blossoms.

Yes good for honey in summer

 

[alancooper]

Blackthorn, Laurel, Gean (bird cherry), willow and dandelions flowering. Not often we get overlap here. Fingers crossed for a good Spring honey crop.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Has every body spotted how much blackthorn is in bloom. Never see it so good. On the prunus theme we have a few Bullace trees in the garden and the blossom is astounding
View attachment 35768

Blackthorn still going well around here but so is every fruit tree by the look of it. My pear and apple which rarely have masses of flower are just starting to open and its everywhere on the tree!

 

[Ian123]

Blackthourn still going well around here but so is every fruit tree by the look of it. My pear and apple which rarely have masses of flower are just starting to open and its everywhere on the tree!

There’s loads flowering here inc laurel and maple. Buy the looks of it this week is not great I suspect temperatures will really be to low for any great benefit, after last month anything’s an improvement.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Hawthorn opening in the bleak badlands of Rainham, West Essex, and horse chestnut in flower in Lower Clapton, Hackney, the jewel of London boroughs.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Here in Rainham, Kent, we too spotted hawthorn opening yesterday. Blackthorn is still flowering as I've never seen before, and cherries and plums in a field where I have bees. Apples and pears very soon.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Here in Rainham, Kent, we too spotted hawthorn opening yesterday. Blackthorn is still flowering as I've never seen before, and cherries and plums in a field where I have bees. Apples and pears very soon.

Apple and pear open in my garden this weekend.

 

[JamezF]

The OSR around here is unusual this year. There's been none for a few years and prior to that it pretty much all flowered at the same time. This year however I think the first field I saw in flower was in the first week of this month, but I'm seeing more and more all the time. Even today I noticed a couple more fields that I wouldn't have missed if they'd flowered earlier. I'm wondering if it's different varieties, or sowing times, or perhaps even temperature difference between sowings higher in the hills and those at the bottom of the valleys. I'd not be 100% surprised if we had OSR flowering somewhere until late May.

Could be a bit of a nightmare as far as extraction is concerned. It might become necessary to remove full supers or even combs as they're ready and extract straight away rather than wait until the last flowers start to go over. I can't see that making me very popular in the kitchen...

James

 

[Amari]

I can't see that making me very popular in the kitchen...

James

Yes, SWMBO and I shudder at extracting in our kitchen, but no alternative. We have learnt how to avoid initiating divorce proceedings - most of the time anyway...... The whole messy process is one reason why I have reduced from 12 to 5 colonies.

 

[Murox]

The gorse has begun to smell delightful in the last few days (if like that sort of thing), blackthorn is colouring up quickly with the warmth we had, of course its now colder again

 

[Garry R]

Yes, SWMBO and I shudder at extracting in our kitchen, but no alternative. We have learnt how to avoid initiating divorce proceedings - most of the time anyway...... The whole messy process is one reason why I have reduced from 12 to 5 colonies.

Buy a tarpaulin (cheap) to fit your kitchen and once you have finished shove in the washing machine and give it a rinse cycle or two. Wear slip on/off shoes so you can leave the kitchen for comfort breaks etc. Makes for an easy (ier) life with the boss!!!