Author Topic: Wild flowers and bees  (Read 7058 times)

Borlotti

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Wild flowers and bees
« on: June 23, 2016, 11:58:37 »
Have loads of this growing wild at the allotment, so planted some in the back garden.  The bees do seem to love it.  Is it called Verbena, all you clever people on here.  They also love my oregano when it flowers.  My allotment may not be perfect (far from it) but at least the bees love it.  Its funny but when I try to take a photo of bees on plants they seem to fly off.

Redalder

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Re: Wild flowers and bees
« Reply #1 on: June 23, 2016, 12:04:02 »
If you have any clover growing in your grass/lawn don't mow it until the flowers are gone. It only means a few untidy weeks and the bees love (and need) clover.

johhnyco15

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Re: Wild flowers and bees
« Reply #2 on: June 23, 2016, 12:05:40 »
heres a pic i took a couple of weeks ago bees were loving my lupins
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

johhnyco15

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Re: Wild flowers and bees
« Reply #3 on: June 23, 2016, 12:12:31 »
and another
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

PondDragon

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Re: Wild flowers and bees
« Reply #4 on: June 23, 2016, 12:24:20 »
Unfortunately, lupins are apparently toxic to bees. See e.g. here: Bumblebees unknowingly poisoning their broods

johhnyco15

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Re: Wild flowers and bees
« Reply #5 on: June 23, 2016, 12:52:34 »
Unfortunately, lupins are apparently toxic to bees. See e.g. here: Bumblebees unknowingly poisoning their broods
wow such a shame every year may lupins are full of bees i would have thought by now they would have wiped themselves out yet they seem to thrive strange one that i wonder where all the new bees come from 
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

lavenderlux

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Re: Wild flowers and bees
« Reply #6 on: June 24, 2016, 11:00:19 »
I think the flower you have shown in Linaria;  the bees on our field love it, we have it in purple but also a pale pink.  I have let some Phacelia, grown as a 'green manure crop' flower and the bees also love this.  Butterflies do too but we haven't had many of them so far this year as its been too wet and cold. 

Silverleaf

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Re: Wild flowers and bees
« Reply #7 on: June 25, 2016, 07:36:39 »
Yes I agree it looks like Linaria purpurea, purple toadflax. I have some growing wild too and I'm always happy to see it because of how much the bees love it.

There's also a lot of bee activity on the raspberries and wild brambles, valerian, and the common vetch that grows wild in the orchard. And of course the chive flowers!

For some reason I keep seeing huge bumble bees trying to feed on my pea flowers. They can't possibly be getting anything from them (they aren't chewing into them or anything) and there's no smell to attract them, so you'd think they'd figure out pea flowers aren't any good!

Paulines7

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Re: Wild flowers and bees
« Reply #8 on: June 25, 2016, 11:15:21 »
What an interesting and worrying article about lupins and bumblebees.  I hope the University of Greenwich continue their research into this very important subject.  Thanks for the link PondDragon. 

johhnyco15

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Re: Wild flowers and bees
« Reply #9 on: July 02, 2016, 17:29:51 »
bees are loving the cut flower bed
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

johhnyco15

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Re: Wild flowers and bees
« Reply #10 on: July 03, 2016, 20:56:27 »
white tip bumble bee trying to hide his rump in my blackberry
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

johhnyco15

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Re: Wild flowers and bees
« Reply #11 on: July 10, 2016, 14:13:18 »
there was plenty of bee activity on the plot around 6 this morning
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

johhnyco15

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Re: Wild flowers and bees
« Reply #12 on: July 17, 2016, 13:55:06 »
6 oclock this morning this butterfly was having a rest thought id share it with you all
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

johhnyco15

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Re: Wild flowers and bees
« Reply #13 on: August 01, 2016, 15:44:04 »
beauty and the beast moment
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

johhnyco15

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Re: Wild flowers and bees
« Reply #14 on: August 12, 2016, 17:27:05 »
this morning this little fella was having a rest on my pear
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

 

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