anything blooming near you?

rober · January 12, 2012, 02:46:51 PM

it's back to winter here but was in the 70's just 2 days ago. besides lots of bees hitting my watering pans i noticed quite a few bees bringing in pollen. i'm mid state lattitude wise in missouri. i have noticed some trumpet vine & a few odd dandelions but nothing else. anyone else see their bees bringing in pollen??

caticind · January 12, 2012, 04:29:27 PM

Mine never stopped bringing it in. Urban area so there is henbit as well as exotic ornamentals like mahonia. I wasn't at the hives last time it was warm, but my local club listserv reports that the red maple pollen began LAST WEEK! They saw clouds of foragers in their maple trees, and confirmed seeing the pollen on bees coming in. That is almost a month early....hope the result is an extended spring season (with not all trees producing at once) rather than a late spring crash due to all the brooding. Also heard from an Alabama sideliner who has drones being raised.

KD4MOJ · January 12, 2012, 04:30:40 PM

Sasanqua camellia's are blooming around here, actually since early Dec. Nut sure how much nectar they are getting from it but lots of pollen it looks like.

From the web:

...DOUG
KD4MOJ

beewitch · January 13, 2012, 10:27:07 AM

I noticed how busy my girls were last weekend, so went up to feed them and was shocked at how much pollen they were bringing in. They were on a mission to somewhere and returning back with heavy yellow legs. In mid-January? I know due to the warm winter we have forsythia blooming already, and maybe some camellias, but can't imagine where this much is coming from. Love to see it, though!

Rich V · January 13, 2012, 10:42:46 AM

Here in Northern Illinois we just started a large bloom of snowmen popping up in front yards. Tonights low will be below zero.

KD4MOJ · January 13, 2012, 11:59:13 AM

Quote from: Rich V on January 13, 2012, 10:42:46 AM
Here in Northern Illinois we just started a large bloom of snowmen popping up in front yards. Tonights low will be below zero.

OUCH! Another reason I'm glad I don't live up North!

...DOUG
KD4MOJ

Vance G · January 13, 2012, 01:47:29 PM

Yeah but snowmen beat wax moth and small hive beetles every time. And we don't have to live with people who talk funny:<} Thats a joke son.

beeghost · January 14, 2012, 12:24:30 AM

Eucalyptus is blooming really good here, threw a super on a couple weeks ago, gonna check it tomorrow and see if they are filling it!! They are working very hard everyday, almost like a major bloom of star thistle!! Should be interesting!! Good ol' California weather!!

JWChesnut · January 14, 2012, 11:00:12 AM

Blue Gum, Eucalyptus globus = started 2nd week of December, white to cream pollen, massive, massive light nectar
Buckbrush, Ceanothus cuneatus = first week of January. High dark nectar, less pollen (bright blue)
German Ivy, Delairea odorata = Late December, extensive bright yellow-orange pollen, not sure about Nectar
island Mallow - Lavatera assurgentiflora - continuing, abundant Nectar
Manzanita, Arctostaphylos spp. - still blooming, but less attractive to bees now the early December dearth has ended. worked heavily in December.
Orange, Lemon, and Lime - Deep orange pollen, and fragrant nectar.
Locally: Protea / Leucospermum ornamentals - bright orange/red pollen and nectar overflowing flower cups.

Issue: no brood break, so many of the standard "brood break" mite treatments don't pertain.
Issue: chill mornings leave foragers in cold coma near nest if they don't successfully make their return.

jtow · January 15, 2012, 03:16:50 PM

Seeing some Henbit in bloom and the occasional dandelion.

L Daxon · January 15, 2012, 05:09:29 PM

I second jtow from Oklahoma City. My neighbor had dandions blooming and we are supposed to be 70 on Monday.

Vance G · January 15, 2012, 08:02:05 PM

12 degrees and waiting for snow! A week ago I say river birch blooming. No seed this year.

Hethen57 · January 16, 2012, 01:03:35 PM

I'm with Vance G., very cold now and waiting for first decent snow of the year, but 2 weeks ago it got warm enough that hundreds of my bees broke cluster, flew across my yard and took their final swim in my hot tub....I hate it when they do that :'(

dbzog · January 16, 2012, 06:40:15 PM

Witch hazel blooming in the back yard...
Jan 15, sunny and 34 degrees

Wits End · January 16, 2012, 06:42:07 PM

Henbit, Dandelion and I saw thistle putting on blooms last week here in the Mississippi delta

sc-bee · January 17, 2012, 08:15:59 PM

Had a Daffodil in my Yard Christmas week. Always Camelia this time of year. I visited the bee yard today and they seem to be bringing in elm and red maple pollen.

AllenF · January 17, 2012, 10:02:55 PM

My grandmother's red Camelia was always blooming at Christmas. The tree was taller than her house. Great memories.

marktrl · January 18, 2012, 12:42:58 PM

Saw some bees working a maple tree in the yard. Looks like the maples want to start blooming but with the lack of rain I don't think the flow will be real strong.

Vance G · January 18, 2012, 01:04:27 PM

Normal is Back! It is -18 here in Great Falls on it's way to -9!!! No pollen collecting today I wager.

brooklynbees · January 21, 2012, 03:49:00 PM

Absolutely nothing...we just got the first winter snow but there has been nothing in bloom for weeks. Unfortunately its been unseasonably warm in Dec and early Jan so the bees have been out of cluster on some days and then caught outside when the sun went down and temp dropped. I've lost quite a few. They were taking sugar syrup for well past the time I thought they would. Now I am just hoping for an early spring to see if they make it through.