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  • Forage , what's flowering in your area?

  • Bee's Need Flowers...… whats more to say?
Bee's Need Flowers...… whats more to say?
 #8334  by AdamD
 27 Jul 2020, 20:29
At the moment, my bees are doing next to nothing - just drifting in and out of the hive a little bit. Until you leave a hive open for a short while and bees arrive from everywhere else! It's robbing season for me; with little forage and still plenty of bees around. I had to give up on Saturday as they were following me around the apiary from hive to hive.
 #8335  by Chrisbarlow
 28 Jul 2020, 12:04
Teasels are flowering... I think bees work em
 #8339  by NigelP
 28 Jul 2020, 12:41
Can't speak for the Eastern side, but Ling is not fully out on the Western side. Some ling in flower in very sheltered areas, probably 1-2 weeks away depending on weather. It seems a little late this year. Lots of bell but it's a bit patchy.
Lots of damage by heather beetle with swathes of dead heather.
Am taking hives up tomorrow AM and will report back.
 #8342  by Chrisbarlow
 28 Jul 2020, 12:53
NigelP wrote:
28 Jul 2020, 12:41
Can't speak for the Eastern side, but Ling is not fully out on the Western side. Some ling in flower in very sheltered areas, probably 1-2 weeks away depending on weather. It seems a little late this year. Lots of bell but it's a bit patchy.
Lots of damage by heather beetle with swathes of dead heather.
Am taking hives up tomorrow AM and will report back.


Thanks Nigel, hopefully taking a couple in next few days.
 #8347  by NigelP
 29 Jul 2020, 10:04
Just back from taking a few more hives up to moors. Heather is pinking up nicely. Doubt it will yield much for a week or so, good weather permitting. Potentially with all the rain we have had in July....IF we can get some decent weather in August it could be a good year. Last year the weather in August was pants, windy , wet and cold....and the yield was the poorest I've ever known.

Chris, which moor are you heading to, if it's not top secret /wry grin/?
 #8353  by NigelP
 29 Jul 2020, 20:14
Yup, spot on last week of August was the only decent weather last heather season. Year before was the drought year. Had a decent flow for the middle two weeks of August and then it was like someone turned the tap off......
Year before that was amazing....it went on and on and on.
Alas the August long range forecast is not looking good. After the next few days of warm weather its going to be cool, breezy , rainy and changeable....not ideal.
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