What's flowering as forage in your area

[JamezF]

Somerset - feeling like Blackberry is over.

Only perhaps halfway through here. Plenty of buds not even open yet.

James

 

[beeboybee]

think the dry weather has effected blackberry flowering, good amount are already dropping petals, and buds look really small….
james perhaps I can drop some hives your side of the hill

 

[Sutty]

That looks like it folks , reminds me I need to get a plant identification app again cheers.

Google image search seems to work, I've been able to identify a couple with it recently.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If you have an iPhone put the image into photos and identify it there?

 

[Moobee]

Blackberry still going strong here and the councils efforts to clear the swathe of brambles in the park has only resulted in a lovely big bank of thistles instead, just coming into flower.

 

[Jon.21]

That looks like it folks , reminds me I need to get a plant identification app again cheers.

Been really impressed with free app ObsIdentify. Does plants and insects and tested it a few times and it works really well.

 

[Murox]

Second year in row that blackberry has been rained out for the bees. Have to rely on meadowsweet, thistles and all the other 'weeds'. There is some white clover about, but its not warm enough hear again for that to be of use. There is a small field of borage in striking distance so that might help as well, if the winds and weather gods are favourable.

 

[user 819]

Definate taste of lime and hue of the honey from the garden hive this morning , seven supers on and wedges of extended wax with lime all over the place. 16% on the Brix scale.
Added two more empty supers and removed two to clear on a seperate stand adj to the hive entrance, I can't reach nine supers on a d/b colony , bad enough trying to do seven.
Putting a rapid clearer board on a stand adj to the entrance and then the supers with a CB & roof works well when height is too much and the flow coming in is great, did the same in the spring and they cleared the 3 x supers nicely.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I’ve seen bees on the Hogweed but bonking beetles are there today

 

[user 819]

Wen down the garden early to remove the two separate supers adj to the hive entrance before they got really busy, aprrox. 8 bees remaing in the pair so soon blew them out.
Certainly saves humping heavy boxes back up high for clearing.

 

[user 20297]

Finding lipstick-red pollen on a few bees had me puzzled. Apparently, the most likely candidate for that is deadnettle.

 

[The Poot]

Wen down the garden early to remove the two separate supers adj to the hive entrance before they got really busy, aprrox. 8 bees remaing in the pair so soon blew them out.
Certainly saves humping heavy boxes back up high for clearing.

Interesting tactic

 

[user 819]

Normally if I have only three or four supers on the hive I would clear them on the hive, however using a separate stand it saves one disturbing the main colony again.

 

[Beth]

The cow parsley's suddenly all opened. Went over to see a bee and got a surprise! What a mimic, even his little head is very bee-like.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ten years after we planted it there are flowers for the first time and there are bees on it

 

[Nannysbees]

The cow parsley's suddenly all opened. Went over to see a bee and got a surprise! What a mimic, even his little head is very bee-like.


View attachment 36891

What is it?

 

[Beth]

"Bee beetle" of course! Trichius fasciatus, a type of chafer. Not uncommon but a real delight to see such a strange creature.

So many flying beasties wear "bee" clothing!

 

[enrico]

Ten years after we planted it there are flowers for the first time and there are bees on it

We planted four two year old limes five years ago and all are dripping in flowers. I thought they too much longer but I reckon last year's summer made a few plants do odd things

 

[enrico]

Wen down the garden early to remove the two separate supers adj to the hive entrance before they got really busy, aprrox. 8 bees remaing in the pair so soon blew them out.
Certainly saves humping heavy boxes back up high for clearing.

You have probably posted this somewhere but could you describe the method in a bit more detail for me. Ta

 

[ericbeaumont]

Finding lipstick-red pollen on a few bees had me puzzled. Apparently, the most likely candidate for that is deadnettle.

Asparagus pollen is traffic-light red.