[greathorned]

Hi All from the Finger Lakes:
I have yet to see a flower here south of Ithaca, as the Snow has just mostly all melted(still a great deal on North Sides of Hills, and in shaded area), with exception of about 10 Crocus's in my flower garden. I have not so much seen a Dandelion on the Side of a House. Dafadill's are still weeks away from blooming. In working my week hives two days ago(and all my hives made it through the harsh winter...!!!!! Yeah), I witnessed a hard Pollen flow into two of my stongest hives. I was told yesterday at Dadant that it was likely Swamp Cabbage, which might make sense as I live on the edge of Buttmilk Falls / Jennings Pond and the Danby State Forest.
At issue is does there exist (I am certain there must be) a list of the order of bloom for the various flora we have here in the Northeast? I would be highly interested in reading such a list, if someone could point me in the right direction to find it. Thanks in Advance
Greathorned

 

[zhiv9]

We are further north, but this might be helpful:

http://newsite.pollinator.ca/plant_ontario/index.php

Select the season and sub-season and then click search

 

[enjambres]

That's an interesting link for the northern part of the northeast. Thank you!

But it's curious that the handsome featured plant on the masthead, white trillium, is nowhere listed as a source of pollen or nectar. And some of the listed plants are noted as not being sources of either nectar or pollen for bees.

Another possibly useful book on the subject that I gleaned from looking at the resouces used to prepare for the Master Beekeepers Exam: Honey Plants of North America. 1926 (current edition is facsimile reprint of original). J. H. Lovell. A. I. Root Company. I haven't looked at it, yet, though.


Enj.

 

[peterloringborst]

Hi there Ithaca!
I have been doing a slide show on the local plants of Ithaca area. These are the plants I show, although in this list I don't distinguish between the nectar and pollen plants. Some, like rose are strictly pollen. Some are not necessarily major sources. I talk about those distinctions in my presentation.

March, April
Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus)
Maple (Acer spp)
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)
Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas)
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)
Squill (Scilla siberica)

April, May
Purple Dead Nettle (Lamium purpurea)
Bearberry (Berberis spp)
Yellow Rocket (Barbarea vulgaris)
Cherry (Prunus cerasus)
Raspberry (Rubus spp)
Strawberry (Fragraria spp)
Apple (Malus spp)
Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
Poppy (Papaver spp)

May, June
Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)
Onion (Allium spp)
Rose (Rosa spp)
Clover (Trifolium spp)

June, July
Milkweed (Asclepias spp)
Sumac (Rhus spp)
Sweet clover (Mellilotus spp)
American Basswood (Tilia americana)
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)
Giant Fleeceflower (Persicaria polymorpha)

July, August
Mint (Mentha spp)
Coneflower (Echinacia purpurea)
Bee Balm (Monarda spp)
Knapweed (Centaurea spp)
Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum)
Hawkweed (Hieracium spp)
Butterfly Bush (Budleya spp)
Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica)

September, October
Goldenrod (Solidago spp)
Aster (Aster spp)

compiled by Peter Loring Borst

 

[Huntingstoneboy]

http://honeybeenet.gsfc.nasa.gov/Honeybees/Forage.htm

Thanks zhiv9 that site is nice!!!

 

[zhiv9]

But it's curious that the handsome featured plant on the masthead, white trillium, is nowhere listed as a source of pollen or nectar. And some of the listed plants are noted as not being sources of either nectar or pollen for bees.

The trillium is Ontario's provincial flower and gets used a lot as a general symbol for the province.

 

[PeterP]

Peter L B that is a good list. I don't see Salix (spp)? Willow / pussy willows, are a major source of early pollen in Eastern Ontario. The other one I see a lot of is Buckthorn, rhamnus. However, I rarely see the bees on buckthorn here as there is better forage plants at that time.

I would also add alders (alnus) for pollen except the bees usually are not flying in eastern Ontario when then are shedding pollen.

Regards

 

[greathorned]

Wow , thank you all so very much. And Peter thank you as well, as I see you are not only my neighbor on the other side of the pond, but also the first person to help peak my interest in Bee's, out at the Pirates Club, and over here on Michigan Hollow Road. I hope all is well with your Bee's after this long winter. I hope to pop over this year and see your set-up. Thanks Again. I just looked at part of your webpage, and find it fascinating. I will Bookmark it.
Regards.,
David Howe