A late Maple

Most maples blossom before the blueberry pollination but this maple blossoms during the blueberry pollination. The honeybees love the pollen and nectar.

May 20 update. Our “late maple” is a Sycamore maple.”The flowers produce abundant nectar, which makes a fragrant, delicately flavoured and pale-coloured honey.” (From Wikipedia.)

Maple blossoms

A late Maple (Sycamore Maple)

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

Mason bee in a maple blossom

This is a first! A Mason bee in a maple blossom. The maples are in full blossom and the first blossoms have opened in the Duke blueberries – a perfect sequence of events.

Mason bee - Maple blossom

Maple tree blossoms

The maple tree blossoms just before the blueberry blossoms open. This is a perfect addition to the border of a blueberry farm.

Maple blossoms

Maple nectar – a delicacy for some insects

Honeybees are vastly outnumbered by other insects that love maple blossom nectar like these March flies. Click on picture to enlarge.

maple blossoms

Blooming Maples

The maples have taken over from the plums as a foraging source the bees. Many insect pollinators can be seen these days on the maple blossoms.