Tulip Poplars blooming!

[SmithN]

The Tulip Poplars are starting to bloom!
I was using my binoculars looking at what I thought could be a swarm, it was just a squirrel's nest, but I noticed color in the tree and on closer inspection I discovered Tulip Poplar blossoms beginning to bloom!
The bee calendar has it blooming about the 25th of April for the Piedmont, it's usually about a week later in my area.
I live in Hickory (foothills of NC)
If you haven't added your honey supers, now would be the time.

[herbcoop]

woohoo, yep I added a shallow super on Tuesday. I was doing a hive inspection on Sunday and my medium super was heavy and I thought I'd wait until this coming Saturday to add it but looking at the forcast for the rest of the week and the last warm day was on Tuesday I went ahead and added it. Being my fist full year I'm excited to see the progress on the shallow
Herb from Thomasville

[dhamiltn]

There's a large tulip poplar I drive by in McLeansville (eastern Guilford county) every day, and, unless my eyes are getting really bad, I don't think it's bloomed yet. The bees are filling the supers up with other things, though.

[dhamiltn]

Took a look this morning on the way to work, and it is in bloom now.

[Jacobs]

I noticed tulip poplar blooms on the ground in the park where I walk. I am also seeing some open blooms on the tulip poplar in my front yard. I hope the rains won't wash away too much of the nectar and that my bees will decide to make some tulip poplar honey this season.

[mike91553]

I was in hives and watching the landing board on Thursday and Friday this week. Several bees had Tulip poplar pollen all over their backs so it must have started Wed or Thur. this year. A little later than some years.

[specialkayme]

I hope you guys are right in that the Poplars just started mid to late last week. I heard a guy in WS mention that the flow was on for him about two and a half weeks ago. I didn't get a chance to ask him what plants he was talking about, but usually this area that means Tulip Poplar.

I don't know about anyone else, but so far this season has been abysmal. Populations have been growing, but stores have been continuously shrinking. If the flow doesn't start soon, I'm going to have to supplement with some feed.

[Jacobs]

I was also seeing and smelling nectar on inspections about 2-3 weeks ago--before the tulip poplars. I'll have to follow up on your alert to see if that nectar has been consumed or if my bees are adding to stores. Thanks for the heads up.

[Wally]

I checked some nucs yesterday that we made up last month. I had to add space, as they had filled everything with nectar and pollen, and were starting to build burr comb to put more in. My eyesight is too far gone to know if the poplar is blooming.

[mike91553]

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/6jo5vdagprvo ... =292548853

One stop shopping for honey bee. Big nectar puddle.

[Wally]

Beautiful pic. Thanks for posting it.

[Jacobs]

Earlier this week I saw fully open tulip poplar blooms on the ground during a morning walk. There were also some unopened blooms that had blown down. I'll have to get my binoculars out and check to see whether we are at the start or fully into the tulip poplar blooming around my house.

[mike91553]

I saw some today and mostly new blooms on a few early trees. American Holly started opening the last few days also and there are some fields of crimson clover in full bloom in range of some of my hives as well. I wish all my swarms were still in the parent hive hard at work.

[Jacobs]

A good number of blooms are open on my tulip poplar, but I can still see unopened buds. Most of the holly is done around the house. If I can keep the bees from swarming, I hope poplar will be in this year's mix.