BBKA Forum

The vagaries of the Teesside and Norfolk coast.
Interesting problems...
Pleasant 22C here inland ....bees working for fun. All now upgraded to double brood and three supers...23C forecast for tomorrow (and Teesside....)
Bloody hell its not even May yet!!!!

20°c plus here in Leeds and everything is indeed in bloom. Dandelions everywhere, cherry, OSR, so far it's an amazing spring

Jim Norfolk wrote: ↑

15 Apr 2019, 14:55

I have even found a few acres of OSR hidden about a mile away. I thought I was free of it.

Does this mean that you would rather not have any Jim?

There's a lot for forage around for my girls too. Plenty of OSR, dandelion. Later prunus species are starting/have started. 3rd supers on some hive going on.

Adam I used to be surrounded by OSR where I was before and it was difficult to impossible to prevent it carrying over into the main summer crop. It was a nice change last year to have honey which does not set as soon as it is extracted and stays liquid in the jar for months.

Speaking to a local farmer, he reckons the OSR has about another 2 weeks flowering round him.

The advantage of hilly country...2 fields have just come into flower this last week. I thought my bees in the this apiary weren't going to see any rape....but they will now...5 fields away.

That's a good point Nigel, a more prolonged flowering period is very helpful. There are several fields and he thinks they'll all be finished at the same time.

I've seen my first horse Chestnut tree in full flower at lotherton hall today.

I have got some very darkish red pollen coming in to my colonies, I think it might be dandelion.

I usually associate shades of 'orange-red' with dandelion.

Horse chestnut pollen is what I call 'brick red', or it could be Blackthorn or even Red dead-nettle, depending on the shade of red.

I love it when fresh comb is packed with pollen, creating a stained glass window effect when held up to the light on a sunny day.