What's happening in your spring garden #3

Another angle same freesia.

Not sure if this one is going to be a purple or blue freesia.

The blue one again.

Pink colored bower vine flower bud.

This is a three for. I've got Wisteria blooming like crazy, there is a hummer, and a bumble bee too in this photo.

SW: I think what you are calling "mini freesia" are actually Babiana stricta or Baboon Flower. Same family as freesia: Iridaceae.. but a different genus. I might be wrong, but ck. the PlantFiles and see if the pictures there look like yours.

They're very cool !!! Where did you get them? Do you leave them in the ground or dig them up when they're finished?

Inquiring minds wanna know !

Last one for today from me. Still don't know what it is, but I like it. ^_^
I also liked all the flowers from imapigeon's garden, too.
Crystalspin, lovely Iris japonica, "Ledgers' Variety. I like your walk way flowers too!
WIB,
SW

JD, haven't had a chance to check the plant files. I leave them in the ground year round. This is the first year that they've bloomed. The raised planter was my project last year. I believe I got them in a package deal from one of the catalogs, but can't remember which one.
I even found my drawing of the garden, as near as I can figure, they are supposed to be something called Brodiata. If they start to spread, I'll share. Sending photo of raised planter before I trimmed back the bush on the right side of the photo. The "freesias" are growing in the two corners nearest the front of the photo.
WIB,
SW

The sunlight this morning was quite nice for photographs. It's too bad I'm not a better photographer. Anyway here's what's happening in my 'world'.

Black-eyed Susan vine on Bougainvillea.

Parrot's beak trying to climb a tree.

Scaevola spilling out of its bed.

Bottle brush tree from below. (I was actually trying to get a picture of a Blue Bird, but the little scamp flew away before I got the shot.

DP
That is the happiest Scaevola I have ever seen. I tried it once in a hanging pot, set a record for how fast I could kill a plant.

~'spin!~

OK...get this: I have a beehive inside a birdhouse in my garden. I had made this birdhouse for my folks when they were still alive, then brought it back to my place when we sold their house. They never had a bee problem with it.

I noticed a few bees going in it yesterday...but didn't think anything of it.
Today, there large hole on the "ground floor" is solid bees !

I'll post a blurry photo of the main entry hole after this.

Now all I need to know is what to do about it !

This is as close up as I could get...sorry it's blurry.

Awesome birdhouse!

I googled bee keepers Long Beach California and there are a lot of options. Here's one that transfers the bees someplace else rather than killing them
http://www.abchoneyandbee.com/
Mind you the only thing I know about them is their google ad.

This message was edited Apr 8, 2009 6:41 PM

SingingWolf may be able to help suggestions for bees.

Here's Clematis Nelly Moser.

And a very happy Pacific Coast Iris. This one is in shade most of the day.

Thank you Doss. I'll ck. their site. Hopefully they can relocate them elsewhere...providing they're not those Africanized bees !

Beautiful clematis and iris !!!!!

We have them under the tarp on the motorhome...we hope they're just temporary and will move on when they're ready. Our neighbor had them getting into the house via the woodstove pipe, but a little paper fire in the woodstove convinced them that it wasn't a good place to be.....
edited to add that if they're on our property, we're just glad they have a place to bee..he he he....

This message was edited Apr 8, 2009 7:46 PM

LOL so bee it !

I just find it amazing how fast they built that hive and how MANY of them are in there.

Bee careful! (couldn't resist)

Okay, this time of year, the bees swarm. That usually means that the old queen leaves the hive, and goes looking for a new home. On their journey, they may overnight for a couple of nights to rest up before moving on.
At any rate, JasperDale, that is a beautiful birdhouse, perfect for resting before moving on. It is probably too small to entice them to do more than overnite.
In the open the Queen bee will settle on a branch somewhere, and all the other bees will "ball up" around her to protect her and keep her warm.Most of the bees that you see are workers (Girl bees). Only one use for boy bees and once they've done their duty, the workers kick them out of the hive. They can't even feed themselves.
While swarming, most European Honey bees are docile. Even after they've made a hive somewhere, their primary interests are in collecting nectar and pollen, returning it to the hive. Some take care of the larvae and some are water bees. Their only job is to collect water and bring it back to the hive to cool it off, which they do by fanning their little wings (takes a whole bunch of them).
The major difference between the European and Afrancanized bee is their agression levels. You come near a European hive and 10 bees might come check you out. You come near an Africanized Hive and it's like a 100 bees come at you. And they invite all their friends too! Run! Get under cover, don't forget the four footeds!
Beekeepers wear white because the only natural enemy to the beehive is the black or brown bear. Which is why in previous attacks by the A. Bee, people and animals wearing dark colors are attacked more often than those in lighter colors. If you are worried call, vector control or a removal (pests) service.
If you don't mind using the stuff Raid wasp spray works good and you can maintain your distance. I've found that pumping really soapy water into their hive gets rid of them. Be sure on the previous two to wait until after dark when all the bees are back in their hives.
The smoker method does make the bees collect as much honey as possible to flee. It doesn't really keep them docile but fools them into thinking a fire is approaching the hive. Grab what you can and go! Which us Californians are used to doing. If you decide to use that method, please use fire/smoke responsibly and have at least two means of putting any fire out. Remember we are still in a drought.
Best to call a removal service if they've been around more than 2 or 3 days. They can get rid of honey and comb which can bring in ants or other vermin.
WIB,
SW

Neither could I. LOL!
DP, this looks kinda like the one you asked about yesterday. Mine is pink, and is a bush. Don't know what it is but got to love it. I liked your black eyes susan and bouganvillea covering that fence. I'm sure your parrots beak will make it all the way to the top to perch. I think I killed my scaeveola too. Neat looking bottle brush bush. Great bee attractor. : P
doss, I can't believe your clematis is already blooming! Not to mention your pretty Pacific Coast Iris.
I'll fic you! LOL!
WIB,
Jules

doss,
Picked up these sweeties at the UC Riverside Botanical Garden sale last year. It was a real surprise when I found this today. It is according to the label a mini Mountain Shasta Daisy.
Enjoy!
WIB,
SW

Edited for spelling error.

This message was edited Apr 8, 2009 8:07 PM

Thanks for a very informative response, SW. I really appreciate it.
I found the phone number for the vector control here and will contact them in the morning.
More to follow as the plot thickens !

I'm glad it helps JD. You won't see much movement from them until it warms up. They don't like to fly if it is under 55-65 degrees. Keep us posted.
WIB,
SW

JD;
It's easy to see that these are not africanized. If they were you'd have been attacked. SW is right about the ferocity of their protection of the hive.

What you have is a European colony taking up residency in your birdhouse. Even though it's small, they'll use it for a home. It's likely that this is a "new" queen. A queen will develop as a part of the colony and 'take' a contingency of workers, drones, etc with her to start her own colony. I would guess that's what you have.

The worst thing that will happen is that you have a bee hive in your birdhouse. That's certainly not the end of the world. We have such a reduced bee population now, that to kill them would be a travesty. Only in the case of a direct threat, ie allergic family member, should you use poison or otherwise destroy the colony. There are far too many other options to explore first.

Even the 'Africanized' colonies are no longer pure African. They have mixed with the European colonies over their trek from South America where they were first accidentally released three decades ago. They are not nearly as aggressive as the pure African. The Africanization of our bee population could wind up being a Godsend to our crops if the overall bee population continues to drop. The Africans are much more prolific honey producers and therefore do more for pollination of our food crops and our flowers.

This message was edited Apr 8, 2009 9:55 PM

I hope I didn't give the impression that I want the poor things destroyed. Far from it ! I'm all FOR increasing bee populations...(good ones, that is ) LOL

I find it very interesting that this is happening. A friend of mine is getting me the number of someone she knows who is a beekeeper. Hopefully this guy can take the birdhouse with him and extricate the bees and the hive and be able to save them.

Thanks DP !
(Did you get the place you were looking at ?)

I wonder if, in this economy, their original home was foreclosed on and the poor queen had to downsize....but that's such a CUTE little place!!!

I think it was just the opposite. The queen got a good interest rate from Bee of A. (ugh) and was able to move in with no down payment. I think she's outgrown it already. LOL

The place was trashed, but a quick coat of cheap paint made it "habitable" !

This my neighbors collection of bees from last year. They were in Europe. I had my pest control person come to look because they were buzzing my Koi pond. I told him they were getting water and heading south. Well they were south alright, about 40 feet away high up min an overhang. They were moved with extra care but it was spooky having them their just above my head near my herb garden. The bees are at the right of the fig vine in the push out corner. Sorry, I did not get any closer.

Whoa ! No wonder you didn't get any closer !

wow JD, that is quite a pic w the bees in the big hole. I don't know much on this subject so I don't know what is the best course of action. However, in my area, you will ocassionally notice signs posted by people offering to remove hives for free. I guess they just want the bees. maybe there are such people in your area.

Pretty Shasta Daisy Sw. Soon we will be having lot s of bees as more things come into bloom. They love the raphiolepsis and the tree sounds as if it's alive with humming. The only problem is that it's on the front path so people have to walk up the driveway instead.

SW, that's a cistus purpurea, or, Orchid Rockrose.....

That's the name gypsy. And they don't like a lot of water. There was some dingbat landscaper that planted a row of them (12 to be exact) in a bed full of tropicals at my work. After losing nearly half of them to over-watering, I transplanted the remainder to a bed that gets no irrigation and they are happy and blooming. I throw a cup of water to them once or twice a week and they're thriving.

Oh, Jasper....."Bee of A".....GROAN!!!

I couldn't resist. LOL

Speaking of the big BEE situation, a real live beekeeper came yesterday and took the whole birdhouse with him, back to Moorpark.

All's well that ends well.

I'm going to pick up the birdhouse from him next month when I go to a big rose nursery in Fillmore.

There are several very confused bees out there looking for their hive!