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When you keep bees you begin to pay a different kind of attention to the seasonal parade of flowering plants.
In October, there is still the stray blossom of brown-eyed-susan or hawkweed, but these days belong to the fading goldenrod and the burgeoning asters.
And suddenly, behind the beehives, the tall shrubby weeds (which I'd planned to pull out) have blossomed into a thicket of frost aster that is buzzing and rustling with foraging bees.
I have left a few frames in the honey supers on the hives (separated from the brood chambers by the inner cover) hoping that the bees will clean the comb and take below whatever nectar and capped honey remains. I'll look in when we get one of our promised warm days, but I suspect they're still laying more nectar in.
There are a half-dozen species of aster and at least three species of golden rod around the property. Wasps and bees are busy at every stand.
There are a half-dozen species of aster and at least three species of golden rod around the property. Wasps and bees are busy at every stand.
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| Photos A. Brown |
The bees are enjoying my asters, too, but they especially appreciate the jewel weed I allow to grow every summer. They crawl right inside every single flower, and when they're deep inside you can barely see them.
ReplyDeleteThat's great. We have jewel weed along the woodpile. It thrives in the wet years, but struggles in the dry. I doubt a bee could fit herself inside this year's sparse blossoms . . . .
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