There's no benefit really in calling someone's point of view stupid. Better, IMO, just to say you have a different idea. None of us like to be called, or have our opinions called stupid.
For the most part yes .... the poor wet summer in most of the UK meant that many beekeepers were having to feed their bees in July to just keep them going.
The likelihood is that many of the queen bees from this season will be poorly mated as suitable days for their mating flights were few and far between. This will really only fully be known next year ... some hives may not build up well in the spring if the queen has not been fully mated.
With the exception of a very few isolated places, all beekeepers are still managing the impact on honeybees of the varroa mite .... and we are all on the lookout for small hive beetle and asian hornets making their way across the Channel.
But it's not all bad news ... the lovely autumn weather has meant the bees have been able to forage and make up for some lost time. The ivy here has been fantastic.
So we've all tucked our bees up for the winter now ... and we all cross our fingers for the next few months and just hope our hives make it through.
It's just lovely when you see them out on the snowdrops and aconites come the spring.
Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
Definitely seed bomb the bank. Even if the main area gets cut at some point they won't get the machine in there.
The pond may not have any cultivated plants in it, but if it's even semi-permanent there'll be a load of minibeasts in there. Get that little lad there with a net.
Also poppies ... poppy pollen is very attractive to honey bees ... and poached egg plants (Limnanthes douglassii) provide both nectar and pollen over a long season and will happily grow almost anywhere.
Having a pond is really good for bees as they need access to water ..
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There's no benefit really in calling someone's point of view stupid. Better, IMO, just to say you have a different idea. None of us like to be called, or have our opinions called stupid.
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Waddle I do --- when you --- are far away....?
Hi Verdun,
I don't post on here very often, but I did actually contribute to the Merit 75 thread from a beekeeper's perspective.
It's a pity the issue has caused some upset in such an interesting and helpful forum, but I fully agree about moving on.
The other current vine weevil thread still seems to be alive and there was a post to it this morning. So I think just one thread has been moved.
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
Hi,
For the most part yes .... the poor wet summer in most of the UK meant that many beekeepers were having to feed their bees in July to just keep them going.
The likelihood is that many of the queen bees from this season will be poorly mated as suitable days for their mating flights were few and far between. This will really only fully be known next year ... some hives may not build up well in the spring if the queen has not been fully mated.
With the exception of a very few isolated places, all beekeepers are still managing the impact on honeybees of the varroa mite .... and we are all on the lookout for small hive beetle and asian hornets making their way across the Channel.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/apr/21/britains-beekeepers-told-to-be-alert-for-arrival-of-asian-hornets
But it's not all bad news ... the lovely autumn weather has meant the bees have been able to forage and make up for some lost time. The ivy here has been fantastic.
So we've all tucked our bees up for the winter now ... and we all cross our fingers for the next few months and just hope our hives make it through.
It's just lovely when you see them out on the snowdrops and aconites come the spring.
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
Larkspur is easy and bees love it Edd. Nigella as well
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I was wondering that.
Definitely seed bomb the bank. Even if the main area gets cut at some point they won't get the machine in there.
The pond may not have any cultivated plants in it, but if it's even semi-permanent there'll be a load of minibeasts in there. Get that little lad there with a net.
Hi Edd,
Leaving the grass long will help the bees ... dandelion and clover are great bee plants.
For the flower bombs you might consider phacelia .... often grown as a green manure so you can get a nice big packet of seeds for not much money
http://urbanpollinators.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/phacelia-tanacetifolia-great-plant-for.html
Also poppies ... poppy pollen is very attractive to honey bees ... and poached egg plants (Limnanthes douglassii) provide both nectar and pollen over a long season and will happily grow almost anywhere.
Having a pond is really good for bees as they need access to water ..
http://www.honeybeesuite.com/water-collection/
Good luck with the hives ... it's a great hobby.
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
I grew Phacelia last year in a spare bed. It was covered in bees all summer and reseeded itself all over the place for this year.