Bees on your trees?

I had no idea! I see why they were planted, they are truly lovely shrubs. And my sense is they are really not that invasive here, I only see them competing with blackberry along the roadside ditches??

Beekeepers love them as there is very little here for the bees after the blackberry bloom ends in June. Knotweeds bloom in late August/September and can be very helpful in getting bees provisioned for winter. And as I said, the dark, herbal honey is delicious!

https://bcinvasives.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/ISCBC-Factsheet-Knotweeds-180216-WEB.pdf

 

Forum contributor Margot posted this link fr CBC

be sure to watch the short video which includes info about a clever survival method bees (not in trees) use

Rain Can be Deadly

 

From what I've been hearing from my father-in-law, who's a hobby beekeeper, some places are left entirely devoid of bees these days, due to massive urbanisation/suburbanisation and the extensive use of pesticides in agriculture... could this be the reason behind the absence of bees, or would it be due to less dramatic events?
And yes, of course, I know that we're still in the middle of winter, and that bees will only come back in spring, but still.

 

I have several bee keeping friends here in England and to be honest they say, "the jury is still out on that question". But let's hope 2021 when they wake up, is a bumper year for the wonderful bee.

 

I hope, too! I'll be on the lookout for what my beekeeping acquaintances see and hear in Russia and in France.