kaihoka 2,976 Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 (edited) 1 hour ago, tudor said: Would that be myrtle rust ? initially i thought that. so i got a pole saw and cut the branch. but on closer inspection it seems some sort of insect, maybe scale. i will take the branch into DOC. Edited September 13, 2017 by kaihoka grammer Link to post Share on other sites
mischief 140 Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 @kaikohe , yes we do get frosts but not many and none were harsh this year. Its been very wet, just like it used to be. My plum trees are loaded with flowers this year with bees everywhere. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
HSV_Darren 275 Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 Does anyone know is Darwins Barberry produces nectar? And is the plant a good source of anything for the bees? Link to post Share on other sites
M4tt 4,941 Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 8 minutes ago, HSV_Darren said: Does anyone know is Darwins Barberry produces nectar? And is the plant a good source of anything for the bees? It's a nasty invasive noxious weed 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Jaspur M 65 Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 What are dandeliins good for? Pollen or nectar, had a few flowering today i saw bees with pollen on them but a few looked to be gathering nectar too. Was interesting as there were lots of flowers out when i was working my hives and when i finnished they had all closed up and disapeared Link to post Share on other sites
jamesc 4,925 Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 Dandelions are good for a box of honey and will keep you going till the clover ...if you have strong hives. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Jaspur M 65 Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 52 minutes ago, jamesc said: Dandelions are good for a box of honey and will keep you going till the clover ...if you have strong hives. Hives at this site are really bursting into life, one had been honey bound and had started to lay in the swarm cups, iv gone through and nocked them all down and really opened up her space and added another box, hive wasnt my strongest so though it was a bit strange, in your experience will they still try swarm ? Even if theres a slight honey flow on? Link to post Share on other sites
M4tt 4,941 Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 (edited) 1 hour ago, Jaspur M said: Hives at this site are really bursting into life, one had been honey bound and had started to lay in the swarm cups, iv gone through and nocked them all down and really opened up her space and added another box, hive wasnt my strongest so though it was a bit strange, in your experience will they still try swarm ? Even if theres a slight honey flow on? They're trying to swarm from lack of space , and they'll probably keep trying Along with the extra space , I'd split off the queen with most of the brood and nurse bees, and frames of honey and take them somewhere else. That way , the flight bees will think the queen has gone with a swarm already , and the queen can't swarm with nurse bees . If you let the flight bees raise a new queen , be aggressive and just leave one capped cell or they may well swarm anyway as the Virgin queens emerge . Next time , stretch the brood nest earlier so they have plenty of space and comb to draw to keep the bees busy Edited September 23, 2017 by M4tt 1 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites
CraBee 1,748 Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 11 hours ago, Jaspur M said: Hives at this site are really bursting into life, one had been honey bound and had started to lay in the swarm cups, iv gone through and nocked them all down and really opened up her space and added another box, hive wasnt my strongest so though it was a bit strange, in your experience will they still try swarm ? Even if theres a slight honey flow on? Did you use drawn comb @Jaspur M ? as the Q needs to be ably to lay and it may be this that has meant they are ready to go. Also you could have - maybe you did - remove about half the frames from the bottom box and put them up in the new box just to give them more space / reduce congestion in the bottom. The other option is to take brood and bees and put them in your weakest hive to even the hives up a bit. They are very likely to look to go again so make sure you check before the next Q cell can be capped and if they are going to go again I'd make a top split leaving the Queen and all the foraging bees in the original position and take most of the brood and some honey into the top box and put a cell in or if you don't have one let them make their own Queen. The only new gear you need to make this happen is an additional lid if you leave the box on top of the hive lid below and prop up a corner with some solid twigs. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Beefriendly 1,254 Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 outside our our family room/ kitchen windows this stunning spreading Cherry has the most amazing display of flowers the bees are a buzz, foraging busily with their heads well tucked into the blossoms to sip the nectar.. the bees love love the flowers and the flowers love the bees 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Beefriendly 1,254 Posted October 9, 2017 Share Posted October 9, 2017 I’m observing this lemonwood pittosporum coming into flower and will be watching for busy bees! Bring on the bees.... 2 Link to post Share on other sites
dansar 5,524 Posted October 9, 2017 Share Posted October 9, 2017 Barberry hedgerows are starting to flower now, well the ones that didn’t get trimmed a month back are? Link to post Share on other sites
Russ 321 Posted October 9, 2017 Share Posted October 9, 2017 Our large Oak tree was buzzing yesterday along with the willows. Link to post Share on other sites
Jaspur M 65 Posted October 9, 2017 Share Posted October 9, 2017 Does any one know how long dandelion flowers for? Its really kicked into gear down my way Link to post Share on other sites
Beefriendly 1,254 Posted October 9, 2017 Share Posted October 9, 2017 It’s a stunning Spring morning yeah when the forecast is proved incorrect the girls are foraging and have found the Lemonwood Pitto 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Beefriendly 1,254 Posted October 9, 2017 Share Posted October 9, 2017 I’ve never been a great fan of cinereria the seedling pop up all over the garden however since the arrival of the bees, they’re allowed to grow pretty much wherever in the garden 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Beefriendly 1,254 Posted October 9, 2017 Share Posted October 9, 2017 9 minutes ago, Beefriendly said: @Jaspur M According to this site it has one of the longest flowering seasons http://mydandelionisaflower.org/did-you-know/ 2 Link to post Share on other sites
yesbut 6,233 Posted October 9, 2017 Share Posted October 9, 2017 3 hours ago, Jaspur M said: Does any one know how long dandelion flowers for? Its really kicked into gear down my way Sure it's not Catsear ? Link to post Share on other sites
Emile Wilmar 13 Posted October 9, 2017 Share Posted October 9, 2017 On 9/13/2017 at 1:42 PM, kaihoka said: does anyone know what's affecting this rata tree. I had a big tree defoliate last summer. It seems to have come back with leaf now. can find nothing with google . https://www.ecosia.org/images?q=myrtle+rust its probably not myrtle rust, but i'd try to get in touch with doc just in case. Ive seen alot of posters around wellington talking about reporting it 1 Link to post Share on other sites
M4tt 4,941 Posted October 9, 2017 Share Posted October 9, 2017 4 hours ago, Jaspur M said: Does any one know how long dandelion flowers for? Almost all year round except mid winter . If summer rainfall is favourable , they’ll flower all the way through , otherwise they burn off . Dandelion is very useful for Bees Catsear isn’t flowering yet but will as it gets hotter and drier . It’s a different plant altogether from dandelion with a similar looking flower 2 Link to post Share on other sites
yesbut 6,233 Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 1 hour ago, Emile Wilmar said: https://www.ecosia.org/images?q=myrtle+rust its probably not myrtle rust, but i'd try to get in touch with doc just in case. Ive seen alot of posters around wellington talking about reporting it Scale insect Link to post Share on other sites
Jaspur M 65 Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 3 hours ago, M4tt said: Almost all year round except mid winter . If summer rainfall is favourable , they’ll flower all the way through , otherwise they burn off . Dandelion is very useful for Bees Catsear isn’t flowering yet but will as it gets hotter and drier . It’s a different plant altogether from dandelion with a similar looking flower Does it produce much nectar for the bees? Link to post Share on other sites
M4tt 4,941 Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 1 hour ago, Jaspur M said: Does it produce much nectar for the bees? Around here, more pollen . Not enough nectar to store as honey . Catsear on the other hand fills the boxes up from December Link to post Share on other sites
kaihoka 2,976 Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 3 hours ago, yesbut said: Scale insect Have you seen it on rata before ? Link to post Share on other sites
yesbut 6,233 Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 55 minutes ago, kaihoka said: Have you seen it on rata before ? No but it definitely looks awfully like a variety of scale doesn't it. It doesn't bear any resemblance to photos I've seen of M. rust. Link to post Share on other sites
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