Thornhill Farm

“Blossoms to Berries” By Annie Watson

June is the month when the wild berry plants blossom here in the north country. As I write, blackcaps (aka black raspberries or rubus occidentals) are blooming. This unassuming little flower is a big favorite of honey bees. The first blackberry (rubus alligheniensis) flowers are about to open. When the patch by our beehives is in full bloom, it looks like a beautiful May snowstorm all around the beehives.

Now is the time, when the white flowers make them easy to spot, to locate your wild blackberry patches at the edges of fields and in the meadow. Note where they are so you can come back and pick the fruit in July. Look for the first ripe berries about a month after flowering — and thank the bees and other pollinators, because without them, there would be no summer fruit, purple, sweet, and juicy on a hot summer day.

“Air Freight!” By Annie Watson

For the past two days the bees have been coming in absolutely loaded down with bright yellow willow pollen and grey red maple pollen. I wonder how they can even get airborne, the pollen baskets on their back legs are so encumbered with huge blobs of the stuff. It’s funny to watch them as they arrive on the landing board and waddle into the entrance with their booty.

The worker in this photo graced my shirt with her presence for a few moments before she took off for the hive entrance to deliver her load.

Pollen is as important as nectar for the honeybee family, because the protein and other nutrients it contains feed developing larvae. The honeybee colony must produce as many new bees as possible in order to have workers to gather nectar to make enough honey for next winter. Without pollen — no honey. This is the time of year when, in a strong colony, the population is exploding.

“Pollen!” By Annie Watson

The bees were busy in the warm weather yesterday. The workers came back to the hive looking like they’d spent some time in a bakery — all dusted with very light tan pollen. It could be red maple, or maybe elm — I’m not sure. Red maples bloom around this time. Now, on warm days, the bees can feed their young, and the more food that’s available the more numerous and stronger the colony will be come summer. Nectar and pollen producing plants promote brood rearing and wax production — both important to the “spring buildup” of the colony.

We love these warm days when the sun is shining and the bees are overjoyed to be out after the long winter cooped up in the hive.  It’s so live affirming to see them bringing food back to the hive.  I was blessed by one bee visiting my hand before she delivered her load.  Note the blob of pollen basket on her back leg.

For more about pollen plants, check out this slide show from the Northeast Kansas Beekeepers’ Association.