The warm weather has brought out the bees and they are in the garden in large numbers, feeding off the helebores (see pic), winter-flowering honeysuckle and crocuses (sp?). The pollen from the crocuses is very noticable on their back legs - it's bright orange. Like saffron - which are the stamens from a type of crocus (I think).Another new odd behaviour: sucking at wet oak leaves. Now I know they need water. All living creatures do. Bees use it to dilute the honey that they take from the comb. But here's the odd thing: I have put a tray of water in front of the hive, complete with smooth rocks, so that it's easy to land and drink. But few of them use this - preferring to find a warm spot with some damp oak leaves and have a good old suck.
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Hurrah the girls have survived!
ReplyDeletePerhaps the wet oak leaves also have some mineral(s) the bees need after their winter hibernation?
Yes, saffron is from a crocus - Crocus sativus, one of the autumn flowering ones.
Bees have been bumbling around here too - until today that is.