Where are all the bees?

[Veggielot]

Plenty here in Lowestoft, both in my garden and at the allotment.

Whereabout is your allotment in Lowestoft, just wondering as I got married down there, Gunton St Petef church.

[StephenH]

They're probably all sitting inside the hive with the central heating on today - it feels more like February than May. BLOODY weather!

[yummersetter]

James Grieve is renowned as a good pollinator of other apples, I wonder if that's connected with the fact that it's their first choice of tree of with you? Perhaps the nectar is extra tasty!
Our beekeeping partner went to a local meeting last week where people were talking about last winter's losses, 1/3 lost all their bees and of the remainder, most lost around 80% - this cold wet weather just when all the fruit trees are in blossom is really tragic for the surviving bees who made it though the sparse times and now really need to build up the hive's strength.

[StephenH]

James Grieve is renowned as a good pollinator of other apples, I wonder if that's connected with the fact that it's their first choice of tree of with you? Perhaps the nectar is extra tasty!

Could be, but I think it's more likely to be because it's a much bigger tree, and has much more blossom on it than all the others put together.