Will recent rain make any difference?

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Stedic

House Bee
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Leicester, UK
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Flow around my hives stopped a couple of weeks ago. They were getting a bit of nectar from somewhere and a lot of pollen. I presume the willowherb (not rosebay) is giving them a little.

Do you think the recent rain will boost this flow at all? We've had a couple of days or pretty steady rain. Appreciate it is a bit late, but wondered if the current flowers might just find a bit more.

Presumably it is good news for the ivy flow later.
 
I was wondering too. Will Buddleia start to produce nectar, have only seen Bumble news on it recently. My bees have only just found Balsam even though it has been in flower for a few weeks local, or does it not create as much pollen when it's dry?
 
I was wondering too. Will Buddleia start to produce nectar, have only seen Bumble news on it recently.

The florets are too long for bees tongues to reach the nectar...they are attracted but, unless unusual circumstances, only bumbles and butterflies have proboscises long enough to reach the nectar.
 
The florets are too long for bees tongues to reach the nectar...they are attracted but, unless unusual circumstances, only bumbles and butterflies have proboscises long enough to reach the nectar.

Learn something new every day. Many thanks.
 
Flow around my hives stopped a couple of weeks ago. They were getting a bit of nectar from somewhere and a lot of pollen. I presume the willowherb (not rosebay) is giving them a little.

Do you think the recent rain will boost this flow at all? We've had a couple of days or pretty steady rain. Appreciate it is a bit late, but wondered if the current flowers might just find a bit more.

Presumably it is good news for the ivy flow later.

Well i do not know what mine are doing... the odd one is bringing pollen in and the rest are coming in laden with something.. maybe silica gel to dry everything up.:spy:
 
Well after a day cooped up sheltering from the wind and rain when the sun came out they went ballistic! it was like a mini swarm. They eventually calmed down.
 
Well i do not know what mine are doing... the odd one is bringing pollen in and the rest are coming in laden with something.. maybe silica gel to dry everything up.:spy:

:icon_204-2::icon_204-2::icon_204-2::icon_204-2:

It is indeed a mystery - but so are so many other things in the bee world.
 
Well after a day cooped up sheltering from the wind and rain when the sun came out they went ballistic! it was like a mini swarm. They eventually calmed down.

That is normal Mike.. but remember to keep your distance as they poop all over you if they have been house bound..:D
 
On my way to collect the supers yesterday - all 3 of them lol - I noticed brambles flowering again! Definitely bramble and flowers were in and around ripe fruit. Perhaps a later variety. Very, very strange year!
 
Honeybees do work Buddleias.
 

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Honeybees do work Buddleias.

Nope, its a honey bee just trying to get to the nectar. Their proboscis is just not long enough...but they try. Nearest are Carniolans with longer tongues (read proboscis). If they could the whole bush/shrub/tree or whatever it's called would be covered with them.
As your picture shows just the odd one giving it a go.
 
Can honeybees forage on buddleia globosa, the one with balls of orange flowers? I vaguely recall reading somewhere that they can.
 
Yes they can.

And they do, I was just about to mention the variety with the orange ball shaped clusters.
Never new it's name before, cheers Magwat!
 

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