Planting Trees to Attract Bees - Green Journey

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F L O W E R I N G . . . N A M E P O L L E N N E C T A R J A N F E B M A R A P R M A Y J U N J U L A U G S E P O C T N O V D E C N O T E S . . . Jacaranda Good quality mauve pollen. Jackaranda mimosaefolia • • Bees work the flowers after they have fallen from the tree. Macadamia, Bauple / Qld nut Macadamia integrifolia Citrus spp. Avocado Clover Trifolium repens Wild turnip (radish) Setaria/African pigeon grass Setaria spp. Lotononus Lucerne Stone fruits Sunflowers Grasses and weeds Couch grass, various species Suburban gardens Garden herbs • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • - • • • - • • • • • • • • • • • Year round Year round Enduces bees into swarming mode. Great honey, for a short period. Good for building hives and holding. High quality pollen. Good honey. Use to raise nucleus hives. Produces good pollen and honey. Great for building bees. High protein brown pollen. High protein pollen. Good pollen. Good pollen, an abundance of yellow clover-like flowers which supply a trickle of honey. Hard on bees. Many of these produce much higher grade pollen than trees. Provide a mixture and variety, which strengthens the hives. Due to the abundance and variety, major pollen and honey is available all throughout the year. High productivity. It’s great to let your herbs go to flower, these prove very popular with all types of bees. Variety strengthens the hives. E = Eucalyptus L = Lophostemon M = Melaleuca This chart is a work-in-progress. So please, if your experiences slightly differ, or you have updated info, or you have new info on local trees not included here, please let us know. We’d love to get some valuable feedback and new input. The following trees are also significant for pollen and nectar in this area. More information is needed on them ... Large fruited grey gum E. major Mountain yellow stringybark E. carnea Gum-topped ironbark E. decortican Queensland peppermint E. exerta Swamp box L. suaveolens Smooth-barked apple (S-gum) Angophora leiocarpa Flax-leaved tea tree M. linariifolia Silky oak Grevillea robusta Cadaghi C. torelliana
Month to month management of Honeybees August The last 2 weeks in August inspect every frame in the hive 1 Check for disease in brood. 2 Remove honey frames from brood box leaving only two on the outsides, allowing 8 frames for brood. 3 Check that Queen is performing. 4 Extract surplus winter honey. 5 Reject old dark frames. Flowering: Blue Gums, Wattles, Hairy Pea, Spotted gum, Clover, Citrus, Macadamia September Inspect brood of some hives 1 Check on disease. 2 Add new frames to brood in strong hives. 3 Extract surplus honey. 4 Be prepared to have swarms. 5 Prime time to divide hives. Flowering: Blue Gums, Hairy Pea, N-L Ironbark, Clover, Grey Gum, Scribbly Gum, Citrus, Macadamia October As for September, plus 6 Check for Queen cells. 7 Add foundation to brood to discourage swarming. 8 The prime month for dividing strong hives and forming nucs. Flowering: Ironbarks, Clover, Scribbly Gum, Banksia, Grey Gums, Wild May. November As for October Flowering: Ironbarks, Banksia, Grey Bums, Wild May, Messmate, Black Paperbarks, Wild Apple December Honey flows will ease off. Keep checking for honey and keep brood strong Flowering: Wild Apple, Messmates, Black Paperbarks, Brush Box, Rusty Gum January February A quiet time Ensure that there is ample honey for expected wet periods. Flowering: Bloodwoods, Tea Trees, Stringbarks, Soapwood March April Coming into winter, check hives thoroughly late April 1 Check brood for disease. 2 One third of the hive should be full of honey 3 Ensure the bees are working the whole hive. Remove supers or add as necessary. 4 Ensure hives are in a warm sunny position. Flowering: Banksia, Flooded Gum, Paper-barked Tea Tree, Stringbarks, Bloodwoods May June July Inspect hives sparingly - leave brood alone unless problems are suspected. Look in top super frequently to assess the health of the hive. In inland areas, there are few flowers. Do not open the hive in cold or windy weather. Be alert to possible early honey flows, e.g. Blue Gum. Flowering: Banksia, Hairy Pea, Tea Trees, Wattles, Blue Gums (July), Spotted Gum Some General Principles 1 Ensure that space in the hive is available - 1/3 for brood. 1/3/ stored honey 1/3 empty honey frames 2 Make sure bees are packed, i.e. working all the frames of the hive. Add or remove space to suit conditions. 3 Keep notes and build up knowledge of your locality - its flora and honey flows. Keep a history of your hives. 4 Re-Queen hives that show undesirable characteristics (a) aggressiveness (b) low production (c) poor wintering (d) swarms often (e) failing queen (too many drones) 5 Keep your hives in good condition. Have equipment in reserve. 6 Keep yourself informed - attend meetings, field days and read newsletters and magazines, search the internet, there are some fabulous sites to explore. 7 Use your product in the kitchen as a sweetener, in cooking and drinks. 8 Honey is an insulator. In winter have a frame of honey either side of the brood. In summer, if the hive is full of honey, the bees will not be hot and hang out of the entrance. 9 Hive beetle management must continue year-round. Inspect and replenish traps at recommended intervals : oil traps every 3-4 weeks in summer, every 4-6 weeks in winter. Other methods follow recommendations. by Athol Craig
Page 1 and 2: Planting trees to attract bees Cons
Page 3 and 4: Pollination Valley Bees recognises
Page 5: N A M E P O L L E N N E C T A R Pin
Page 9 and 10: Sow pigeon peas Pigeon peas are a 2
Page 11 and 12: Trees used by stingless bees for re
Page 13 and 14: Banksia : flowers through year Prod
Page 15 and 16: Valley Bees Balance between all bee

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