Fireweed plays a role

Fireweed has taken over from Sumac as a main foraging source for bees. Blackberry and clover continue as part of the bee’s diet. Fireweed seeds are carried over the land like clouds as they sail easily in the breeze. This plant is more likely to expand than retreat.

Bumblebee on Fireweed blossom

Bee Linden – a beekeepers delight

Linden, or Basswood, is a prime source of nectar for honeybees, producing some of the best honey. A Linden tree was just discovered within foraging distance for our bees. What a pleasant surprise! The Linden trees we are growing are an exercise in patience – it takes years before producing blossoms.

Linden tree

Linden blossoms

Climbing Hydrangea

Excellent timing, as the climbing hydrangea blossoms just when the blueberry fruit is set. This plant is a favorite of both honeybees and bumblebees.

climbing hydrangea

Thornless blackberries

Blossoms on the thornless blackberries follow the blueberry pollination. The honeybees are enthusiastic for this plant which is prevalent in this area. Bumblebees show no interest.

Thornless blackberry blossoms

Labrador tea

Labrador tea belongs to the rhododendron family. It grows wild in the area and is one of the foraging options for bees when the blueberry pollination is over. Bumblebees seem uninterested in this plant. 

Labrador tea blossoms

Competing for bees – and winning

As you approach these trees you can hear the bees before you see them. Early blueberries, that are in full bloom, don’t stand up well to this competition.

oak in bloom

mountain ash

wild apple

The queen bumblebees are still at work in the blueberries. We are waiting, and hoping for, a good population of worker bumblebees.

What the bees are buzzing about.

Just when the first blueberries come into bloom the bees find other plants more exciting.

June blueberry - full bloom

Patriot blueberry - full bloom

 

The dandelions are going to seed but the oak is alive with bees.

dandelion

Oak blossoms

Wild apples abound in the area and fruit trees are in bloom.

wild apple

Transparent apple

 

Honeybees will move to where the foraging is easiest but Bumblebees have a less varied taste. They tend to stick with the blueberries.

 

                                                                                                                      

Anise hyssop in flower

The easy part of starting Anise hyssop is the germination and transplanting. The hard part is convincing chewing insects and slugs that this is not their favorite meal. There is some loss at this point but the advantage is that blossoming can be expected to continue right through to frost. This plant has appeal to both honeybees and bumblebees.

Anise hyssop

We are hoping the mint flavour of the hyssop will combine with our other nectar sources to provide some distinctive honey.

Roses, Love in a Mist

There are many garden flowers the bees enjoy. With a nursery next door it’s hard to imagine the varied diet of our bees. Here are a couple of examples from our garden. We are always looking for new plants that the bees like.

Roses, pollen

    

Love in a Mist

 

Sumac

Sumac flowers are highly desired by honeybees. I can’t recall seeing bumblebees visiting sumac flowers. A Sumac will send up new shoots from it’s wide spreading root system so it easy to establish and start new plants. It is vulnerable to the same boring insects that bother willows.

Sumac flower

Dried sumac flowers are the best fuel for a bee smoker. The fire does not die out and it burns at a steady rate.

        Sumac in a bee smoker.

Sumac for smoker fuel is a hint courtesy Jaquie Bunse of the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture.