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Author Topic: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.  (Read 7460 times)

Offline Lancej

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Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« on: November 25, 2015, 09:31:29 pm »
Hi, I have access to 100 acres which is about 750 metres altitude in Victoria, the weather is a lot cooler. At this stage I have one hive up there which is struggling, but the blackberry's are just opening up. Are blackberry's a good source of nectar for bee's?? I want to take a few hives up there and don't want to have all the hives struggling. Lance

Offline Rurification

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Re: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« Reply #1 on: November 26, 2015, 10:12:57 am »
We have a few acres of blackberries which are heavily worked by the bees.   It may not be their all time favorite, but it is a reliable source of pollen and nectar here. 
Robin Edmundson
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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« Reply #2 on: November 26, 2015, 08:08:48 pm »
Load your hives and get them on the berries.  With that many acres you will probably get a lot of honey.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline divemaster1963

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Re: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« Reply #3 on: November 26, 2015, 11:11:19 pm »
My hives hit about 12 acres of wild BlackBerry across the road. They love it and so do customers. Very floral in flaver.

John

Offline Lancej

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Re: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« Reply #4 on: November 27, 2015, 04:26:40 am »
Thanks for the reply's I will take a couple of hives up in the next week and see how they go.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« Reply #5 on: November 27, 2015, 05:50:16 am »
I recommend you take all of your hives that are full. With 100 acres, you can make a lot of honey.
Your small hives will probably grow very quickly if you take them also.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Lancej

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Re: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« Reply #6 on: November 27, 2015, 08:02:11 am »
I will moving be moving my hives in about a week, looks like we are in for some cool weather up in the hills here. Thanks for all your advice. Lance

Offline Oldbeavo

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Re: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« Reply #7 on: November 28, 2015, 07:54:15 am »
Blackberries don't flower long 4-6 weeks, our have been on blackberries for about 3 weeks. They are at about 300m altitude so you might have a couple of weeks delay in flowering at 750m.
Great to grow bees and rejuvinate weak hive and get some good honey.

Offline Lancej

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Re: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« Reply #8 on: November 29, 2015, 04:01:01 am »
Last year the blackberry's flowered all the way through summer. (didn't have any bees then) The main flowering is from before xmas through to mid Jan.

Offline Lancej

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Re: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« Reply #9 on: December 04, 2015, 01:44:59 pm »
Moved the hives yesterday,  the sub clover is also flowering. The struggling hive has some honey stores and is starting to pick up.

Offline divemaster1963

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Re: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« Reply #10 on: December 04, 2015, 08:36:11 pm »
Great to hear that. Hope your flow is great for you.

John

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« Reply #11 on: December 05, 2015, 06:24:18 am »
 :cheesy:
Keep us updated on how well they do on making honey.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Lancej

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Re: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« Reply #12 on: January 10, 2016, 04:24:55 am »
Did a quick inspection of the hives on the blackberries, the flowering is nearly finished, the hives have a large increase in numbers but very little honey. Due to the dry conditions not much is flowering, a few blue gums we have which are in flower are being taken over by plague beetles, there are millions of them. Every flower, bud, even the leaves are covered in them. Will give them 1 more week, if nothing flowers will have move them. The hives which did the best are now the aggressive hives.
Lance

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« Reply #13 on: January 10, 2016, 08:04:34 am »
Thanks for the update Lance. That is a real shame. Sounds like your hives are ready to make some honey. Do you have another flow that you can put them on?
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Lancej

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Re: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« Reply #14 on: January 10, 2016, 02:39:33 pm »
Hi Jim
Might have to give the mother in law a call and see what's flowering up her way in North East Victoria, they have been getting there normal ran fall. I also have a small block for a few hives near the coast which I was thinking about trying. Honeycone King seems to think that a few of the gums should come out and flower in the next few weeks. Will keep you updated.
Lance

Offline Maggiesdad

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Re: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« Reply #15 on: January 10, 2016, 10:46:41 pm »
I would love to see a picture of blue gums covered in plague beetles...

Offline Honeycomb king

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Re: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« Reply #16 on: January 11, 2016, 12:43:54 am »
Hey Lance just read that some of your hives are now a bit aggressive. That sounds to me that the messmate is flowering. Check the trees, new buds will be on the tips (they are next February flowers not this year's) then this year's growth then the current flowers or buds. The bees love the messmate (eucalyptus obliqua) but it makes them nasty. Good fun the first time you get on it, nice easy to work bees suddenly attack as soon as you pull up in your truck. They calm down again when you go to the next flow or something else starts to flower. The stings have a real jab to them too, not like when their on red stringy bark but interesting just the same. Messmate pollen is creamy coloured with a slight yellow tinge and has a high protein level at about 24%, and lots of it.
It's a very healthy honey and dark.
Good luck.

Offline Lancej

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Re: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« Reply #17 on: January 11, 2016, 03:13:51 am »
The bees were bringing in a small amount of creamy/white pollen. Checked the trees and didn't see any in flower, but that doesn't mean that some have already started flowering. The picture is from my phone and its in a sad state, this is from a lower branch without flowers.


Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« Reply #18 on: January 11, 2016, 10:05:05 pm »
They look like our state bird, cockroaches.  :grin:
How big are they?
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Lancej

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Re: Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.
« Reply #19 on: January 11, 2016, 11:45:17 pm »
Hi Jim,
They are only about 16mm, 5/8 inch long, they feed on other inspects mainly,  thrip etc and nectar. Their larvae feed on other insect larvae and eggs so in the long run of things they are a good for the property.
Lance

 

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