Pumpkin nectar

This pumpkin blossom is a hit with the bees. Nectar for all!

Pumpkin nectar and bees

Japenese Knotweed invasion

With the rare exception, Japenese Knotweed grows profusely on the side of the ditch that is mowed by the city mower. It makes one wonder if the mower is instrumental in it’s spread. Another area mowed is along the Pitt river dike. Pictured below is part of an extensive Knotweed patch with logs in the Pitt river as background.

Pitt river dike

A nearby beekeeper with many hives is the source of numerous bees on the Knotweed.

Japanese Knotweed 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.

Monk’s hood – the procastinating plant

Other plants produce flower and seed much earlier in the season but Monk’s hood waits til late October. Maybe it’s just our garden because a search of the internet mentions an earlier flowering for this plant. So here it is almost November and by chance a day warm enough for the bees to find the Monk’s hood. Evidently every part of this plant is poisenous but I wouldn’t want to find out if that is true.

Monk

Junes in October

The June blueberry plants are showing some blossoms and fruit after some warm September days. This is not unusual for this early fruiting plant. Click on pictures to enlarge.

June blossoms

June blueberry

The bees are collecting nectar on a cool October day.

bee visiting June blossom

It’s no surprise that the Junes are one of the first to blossom in the spring.

Japanese Knotweed

Some beekeepers rely on Japanese Knotweed for a late honey flow. Most of the Knotweed in our area is 1-2 kilometres away along a roadside ditch. The dark honey is so distictive you know exactly what the bees have been into and from time to time a colony will find this source and produce a significant amount of honey. The Japanese Knotweed must be an amazing source of nectar to be able to produce in late summer when the days are short and the weather is not conducive to gathering nectar.

Here is one description of the honey:

Bamboo honey is made from Japanese knotweed, or Polygonum cuspidatum which looks like bamboo, but is unrelated. The knotweeds are related to buckwheat, and the honey, like buckwheat honey, is dark, spicy, and rich in life-giving antioxidants. Bamboo honey is milder and fruitier than buckwheat honey…. Source:http://inmolaraan.blogspot.com/2008/02/bamboo-honey-vanilla-pudding-japanese.html

Japanese Knotweed

Bees on Knotweed

 This plant is so invasive you would never plant it without expecting it to be around forever.

Hardy Hibiscus and bees

Hardy Hibiscus starts to bloom in late August just when other foraging sources for bees are starting to fade. It will produce new blossoms every day right through till frost time. The bee in the picture below is gathering nectar at the base of the flower but it can’t help picking up the large pollen grains. The creamy white colour of the Hibiscus pollen is reminiscent of the colour of blueberry pollen.

 

Hardy Hibiscus

The bee isn’t into the Hibiscus blossom for long before she has to stop and gather up the pollen that is sticking to her body. Notice in the picture below the lineup of buds getting ready to open on a daily basis.

Hibiscus pollen

Mint in full bloom

The mint in full bloom is a big draw for honeybees. Bumblebees show little interest in this plant. Side shoots will keep the mint in bloom until frost. This is one plant that seems a must for the beekeeper.

 

mint in bloom

bees love mint

The last of the blackberry blossoms

In the first picture there is a Carniolan honeybee in a blackberry blossom. Compare that with the light coloured Italian honeybee in the second photo. Thanks to our expert photographer, in a rare shot we have the two bee strains side by side on the same blackberry blossom.

  

Carniolan honeybee

italian honeybee

bee friends

Globe thistle and Sea Holly

Globe thistle and Sea Holly are look alikes and can be included with the other bee favorites that have numerous tiny flowers. August blooming flowers are a plus for the bees as other nectar sources are no longer available.

Globe thistle

Sea Holly