🐝💗Our Backyard Beekeeping Journey!💗🐝

[Sally PB]

I bought Siberian Squill, Winter Acconite, and Snowdrop bulbs to start an early spring flower patch for the bees. The Acconite is the flower that the the bees visit the most.

As for Siberian Squill becoming invasive... A neighbor has a few, had them for years. It wasn't until I got some that I started noticing them here and there in the field.

 

[R2elk]

I bought Siberian Squill

Pretty blue flowers. I think I will pass on them.

"Scilla siberica, the Siberian squill or wood squill, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to southwestern Russia, the Caucasus, and Turkey. Despite its name, it is not native to Siberia. Many parts of the plant are poisonous to eat for some animals."

 

[drstratton]

Of course we don't have answer details, but just wondering what your thoughts on this are.
Do you think the bees in the thieves hive, and the plunders victims hive are same variety??
Kind of like a matchup of Gladiators, and Early Christians.

They can be same type or different. Some bees are known to rob more than others.
It's more just trying to have the best chance to survive winter.

 

[drstratton]

I bought Siberian Squill, Winter Acconite, and Snowdrop bulbs to start an early spring flower patch for the bees. The Acconite is the flower that the the bees visit the most. View attachment 4224201
As for Siberian Squill becoming invasive... A neighbor has a few, had them for years. It wasn't until I got some that I started noticing them here and there in the field.

That's very pretty!

 

[drstratton]

I'm in good shape, 150 lbs and a half gallon of the oils cocktail. Big explosion of bees from 2 hives 3 days ago and the 3rd yesterday. I can't say these are winter bees as it seems a little early. Queens are still busy. Very few drones and zero on Varroa. One more deep dive before cold weather. The young couple we are helping are in good shape and have over wintering anxiety and all kinds of questions. My first piece of advise, RELAX KIDS!

I didn't go deep into my hives yesterday, but looking down in, looked like there was a lot of capped brood.
We'll do a deeper inspection next weekend when we do a mite test.

I'm trying to relax...

 

[Apis mellifera]

9 pounds is a lot of honey. That is why I'm wondering how they can do it in one day..

Is the honey being robbed from a close by hive, or a neighbors hive?? Just wondering.

In places like North Dakota and areas in Canada around 30 pounds in a day of nectar have been recorded. I don't know where my bees were robbing but it could have been a feral or backyard hive. Either way it puts them at risk of disease and mites. It's over now, today they were calm and quiet.

As for Siberian Squill becoming invasive... A neighbor has a few, had them for years. It wasn't until I got some that I started noticing them here and there in the field.

I have seen S squill around but never noticed it taking over an area or turning over pavement spreading like crazy. I was told "Don't plant spearmint, its invasive!". 15 years later I still like spearmint tea with honey, and it hasn't taken over anything.

Many parts of the plant are poisonous to eat for some animals."

I hope so! With state mismanagement and people feeding deer we are literally infested with them here. If it wasn't for goldenrod, knotweed, loosestrife, milkweed and other plants deer don't like we wouldn't have anything.

Bumblebees mating on the golf course today. It's been a good year for them here. 

 

[drstratton]

In places like North Dakota and areas in Canada around 30 pounds in a day of nectar have been recorded. I don't know where my bees were robbing but it could have been a feral or backyard hive. Either way it puts them at risk of disease and mites. It's over now, today they were calm and quiet.

I have seen S squill around but never noticed it taking over an area or turning over pavement spreading like crazy. I was told "Don't plant spearmint, its invasive!". 15 years later I still like spearmint tea with honey, and it hasn't taken over anything.

I hope so! With state mismanagement and people feeding deer we are literally infested with them here. If it wasn't for goldenrod, knotweed, loosestrife, milkweed and other plants deer don't like we wouldn't have anything.

Bumblebees mating on the golf course today. It's been a good year for them here. View attachment 4224643

That's a great catch.

Are you a golfer? We're on a golf trip this week.

 

[Sally PB]

I've seen a lot of bumble bees this year too. They find the flowers honey bees like first, it seems. I saw them on goldenrod and the asters before I saw our bees.

 

[R2elk]

Rocky Mountain Bee Plant seeds