Author Topic: What's flowering: Queensland (Read 202644 times)

max2 · « **Reply #780 on:** March 25, 2024, 09:52:24 pm »

Flowering.

There is not much to report.
The weather has been against us - too wet. Bees can't fly and pollen and nectar would be washed out.
I can see that the Blue Gum ( E. tereticornis) is budding heavily.
It is a reliable producer at the end of winter into spring.
We do get some surplus honey most years and occasionally a good flow.
The timing, just before a strong buildup of brood can be magic magic.

With plenty of soil moisture Clover often performs well too.
A great time to make early splits and some queens. We shall see.

I can see the Golden Rain Trees are flowering (Koelreuteria elegans subsp. formosana)
It is considered a weed around here but bees love it.
I suspect that the honey is rather dark.

No luck this year . They are a lovely tree to watch bees at work - when the sun shines.

During our wet season we generally find that Cobbler's pegs ( Bidens pilosa) keep our bees happy if we get short bursts of sunshine. Even they could not provide some sustenance for our bees.

max2 · « **Reply #781 on:** April 01, 2024, 04:40:30 am »

Easter cassia ( Senna spp)

This invasive weed is in full flower around our bush areas.
I don't see bees working them at all.
The literature does mention Cassia as a bee plant.
Anybody have any personal experince?

max2 · « **Reply #782 on:** May 28, 2024, 02:51:29 am »

Not a lot flowering - a few Euc's are out and will keep the bees going into Winter.
I went for a walk through anold orchard and was surprised by the number of bees on Cobblers Pegs and some legumes

max2 · « **Reply #783 on:** June 28, 2024, 07:43:41 pm »

We haven't had a frost at all so far.

As a result the Cobblers Pegs and Agerathum are still flowering profusely and are keeping the bees busy.

The Blue Gum have been flowering on and off. I hope that they will give us a surplus come July.
It would be a bonus if we could take off some winterhoney come August.

The Clover is growing - slowly - but looking great. A drop of rain would be perfect. Early morning fog has kept it happy.

maxell86 · « **Reply #784 on:** July 01, 2024, 05:49:59 am »

No more frost = equals more weeds and bugs.

Keeping the blue banded bee's happy, some cherry tomatoes are flowering.
They also like the tradescantia purple heart, same for the europeon bees.
But more unseasonable rain this week.

Odd, dew over the highway (warrego) but not North Ipswich. hmm... that black stuff during the day, the clouds lit up at night.

The15thMember · « **Reply #785 on:** July 01, 2024, 11:13:15 am »

Welcome to Beemaster, maxell86!

Ben Framed · « **Reply #786 on:** July 01, 2024, 11:28:48 am »

Yes maxell86 welcome! I also have concerns about plastic in several applications. Being plastic foundation is first covered in beeswax before use, (in most cases), I do not know what if any effect it will have on our bees or honey? Has the plastic foundation subject specify been researched or studied?

Thanks,

Phillip

maxell86 · « **Reply #787 on:** July 10, 2024, 03:54:57 am »

Thank you guys.
Although I am not new to this forum. It seems the years drift on even in digital terms.

Good idea to cover plastic foundation in beewax. Who knows until you get down to the details.
If anyone has done the work, I am sure some of us would be interested in the results.

Ben Framed · « **Reply #788 on:** July 10, 2024, 10:32:48 am »

Quote

Thank you guys.
Although I am not new to this forum. It seems the years drift on even in digital terms.

You?re welcome maxell86. There are many beekeepers or folks who are simply interested in beekeeping who join Beemaster. Some may never post but simply read and study, enjoying the forum. Many of these members do not interact initially and some may never join in the conversations or begin one. Even still, such members are >very< welcome, and we are glad to have each one with us. It?s also nice when a member decides to begin posting here at Beemaster. Thank you for making that move maxell86, transitioning to an active posting member since you first joined Beemaster back in 2020. 😊

Phillip

max2 · « **Reply #789 on:** July 16, 2024, 07:14:59 pm »

Cold mornings with some frost in the valley.
This is the way is should be this time of the year.
The days ( and nights) are clear - thus the frost.
It is not cold enough to hit the lantana along the river as it used to.
It will stop the growth of some Tropical weeds like the Chickweed and the Clover ( it can tolerate some frost) will benefit.
I'm looking forward to a good Clover flow - here is hoping.
The Blue Gum ( e. tereticornis) is flowering through the valley - not evenly but I expect the hives to build up on this.
Due to the wet weather the Blue Top - a weed - has been flowering profusely. Even a light frost will slow this one.

Cold mornings are ideal to make candles and there are never enough made up frames

How are you going, maxell?

maxell86 · « **Reply #790 on:** July 31, 2024, 03:40:20 am »

Even at -3 degrees Celsius yesterday morning. It was not cold enough for too long. A small pool of water didn't freeze.
With all the mental fences been erected like no tomorrow. Usually I watch the steam rising off the caps.. over the last few years in winter time. Ha no need to wonder why there is no frost in the suburbs anymore.

The little flowers on the jade plants (Crassula ovata) usually attracts the tiny native bees this time of year. Yet only spotted a few honey bees on them.
Of course the paperparks are in flower and have been for many weeks, but do know what sub species.

Need to get more sunshine to see what else is flowering. But its confusing regarding what camera to get again, dlsr or mirrorless. All I know I will need macro lens and zoom thingos. Sony A1 or Canon R1 or R5, but stuff the hype. Can't see what is flowering at the tops of the gum trees here without em.

It goes okay.

How you going Max2?

maxell86 · « **Reply #791 on:** August 01, 2024, 12:53:19 am »

This is the reason I do not like camera phones. Too soft to track bees.

Lesgold · « **Reply #792 on:** August 01, 2024, 05:52:09 am »

I have a few jades that flower all winter. The bees are all over them like a rash. They must be providing them a bit of a pick. It?s nice to have a few winter flowering plants around for the bees to play on and keep their pollen and nectar supplies coming in.

max2 · « **Reply #793 on:** August 12, 2024, 04:24:58 am »

We are getting some rain . Rain in August is quite unusual for us. We generally hope for a couple of good storms in September or October to break the dry.This year we are in luck.The Blue Gums are flowering well and I can smell the honey coming in.The bees will build up on this flow.I have seen the first flowers on the white clover. It promises to be a good year for early honey and splits.It has also been rather warm during the day and night again. And getting warmer with temperatures reaching the mid 20's by the end of the week.I hope I can find the time in the next week to start checking for drones and get ready for splits.I also have orders for made up frames and supers. A busy time is ahead.

max2 · « **Reply #794 on:** August 15, 2024, 09:14:09 pm »

The sun is out and the bees are busy.
Paulownia is flowering about 6km from here but here they are still if bud.
Deeo yellow wood is in bud - looking very promising. The bees love them.
I have seen a few more White Clover flowering.

Ben Framed · « **Reply #795 on:** August 16, 2024, 01:37:47 am »

That is awesome news Max, wishing you the VERY BEST!

Phillip

max2 · « **Reply #796 on:** September 04, 2024, 08:22:55 am »

The jaboticabas are done for now. The Brazilian Cherries are out in full bloom.
I have seen the first of the Deep Yellow-wood flowering.

Plenty of Clover out as well.

We could do with some rain..

max2 · « **Reply #797 on:** September 19, 2024, 01:15:51 am »

This is getting close to our peak time for flowering and thus honey production and a good time for splits.
Of course it all depends on the weather: too dry and some of the plants will produce less or not at all.
In our catchment Eucalypts are generally fairly reliable after good rain has replenished groundwater.
Very few eucalypts are reliable producers year after year, indeed some can have a long spell of little flowering for many years.
We always live in hope!
Right now we have the following plants flowering or budding in the SE of our state:
- Blue Gum
- some of the ironbarks
- Hairy Bush Pea
- Mugga
- Grey Iron bark
- Red Bottle Brush
- Scribbly Gum
- Swamp Mahogany
- White Clover
- White Mahogany
- Wild May
- Tallow wood
- Deep Yellow Wood

max2 · « **Reply #798 on:** October 03, 2024, 05:38:44 pm »

The Silky Oaks are flowering.
They do like the dry weather but I can't tell if this affects nectar production.
Tecoma, a weed, is also flowering along the roads to one of my yards.
The Blackberries are flowering - could be a good crop if the weather stays dry.

max2 · « **Reply #799 on:** October 05, 2024, 06:19:05 pm »

There is a nice flow on.
Readers in the SE Qld area check your hives.
I had one hive ( see another post for some details) I took a full 1/2 super off on the 27. September and did the same again on the 4. October. This is a hive I made a slpit from. The hive has a Tiger Queen#
Looking at /tasting the honey I would guess that the white Clover is delivering. The Crimson Clover in our pasture is also doing well and i saw bees working it late yesterday.
The Blue Gum seems to have a rest but if we get the rain which is predicted, it will take off again.
There another 8 hives with FD supers to take honey off but I won't tackle them on my own.
Each harvest off these hives generally yields about 18kg of honey per super ( we leave two frames behind, always done this, just in case)

# tiger queens: I would like to know more about them. My mate BW tells me that they are a trowback. I have always found that Tigers are either the best honey producers in a yard...or shortlived.
I will have a couple of queens of this lot soon.