A late Maple

This Maple has blossomed about a month later than other Maples. At this time of year the bees are all over it

Mason bees prefer bamboo nests.

This is the first year we set out bamboo nests at the same time as wood block nests. It appears the bees prefer bamboo nests. Click on the picture to enlarge.

Anise hyssop seedlings

Anise hyssop will be in bloom in late summer as forage for the bumblebees.

Melted beeswax

Melted beeswax starting to solidify.

When honey isn’t honey

“More than three-fourths of the honey sold in U.S. grocery stores isn’t exactly what the bees produce, according to testing done exclusively for Food Safety News.

The results show that the pollen frequently has been filtered out of products labeled “honey.”

The removal of these microscopic particles from deep within a flower would make the nectar flunk the quality standards set by most of the world’s food safety agencies.”

Read more here:

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/11/tests-show-most-store-honey-isnt-honey/#.UXdtaBRraM8

Birch sap

I wonder if my honey refractometer can be used to measure the sugar content of the birch sap?

Bee in birch sap

Mason bees find their way

A day after the Mason bees were released this male found his way to a Rosamundi Rhododendron flower. Note the pollen mites. Click on the picture to enlarge.

Early June blueberry blossoms are open – most are “in the pink”.

Mason bees released – 2013

This year we have released the Mason bees from one central location.

Hazelnut pollen

The first warm day this year has brought out the bees to gather pollen from the hazelnut catkins. One bee has white pollen which is probably from heather. Click on the picture to enlarge.