July forage
July is a good time of year for foraging honeybees. Stourbridge Common and Ditton Meadows are within 200 m of the apiary, and the bees are busy there. Here's what we found them foraging on:
Thistles
Thistles are a source of abundant nectar, if the scent of honey in the air around them is anything to go by.
Bramble
It seems early this year - July blackberries! In the second picture (click on the image to expand it), you can see a full pollen basket on the worker's leg.
Himalayan balsam
Spot the honeybee
If you can find the honeybee in this picture, you might be able to see that the back of its thorax is white with pollen from the plant. The bees enter the flowers, stay inside for a couple of seconds, then reverse out.