Blackberry's for nectar and pollin.

[Richard M]

The bees were bringing in a small amount of creamy/white pollen. Checked the trees and didn't see any in flower, but that doesn't mean that some have already started flowering. The picture is from my phone and its in a sad state, this is from a lower branch without flowers.

Aah. Soldier Beetles.

[Honeycomb king]

Hey Lance how did you get on avoiding the plague beetle?
Lucerne or into the northeast?

[Lancej]

Hi HCK, I have them on the lucerne, the mother inlaw checked the trees up her way and they were already finishing up. The messmate should be in full flower up at Trentham, will check it out this Sunday. Still looks like next year is going to be a great year on the gums, heaps of buds.  By the way,I hope you can keep updating whats in bloom, good to learn about whats going on. Lance

[Richard M]

The bees were bringing in a small amount of creamy/white pollen. Checked the trees and didn't see any in flower, but that doesn't mean that some have already started flowering. The picture is from my phone and its in a sad state, this is from a lower branch without flowers.

Those beetles are identical in form and size to a beastie known in the UK as a Soldier Beetle - http://www.stanfordrg.org.uk/srggallery/Miscellaneous/soldierbeetle.JPG .

[Richard M]

Blackberries have been a real fizzer here in Tas (well Hobart anyway); the drought has just about done them in - very little fruit too and what there is is pretty poor, acidic and gritty.

[Flycaster]

Seems to have done most things in richard. Prickly box did bugger all too and the acres of blackberries lining the creek lasted less than a fortnight

[Richard M]

Seems to have done most things in richard. Prickly box did bugger all too and the acres of blackberries lining the creek lasted less than a fortnight

Ah well - going for a swim on Xmas Day when it was 35 degrees C was at least some consolation.

I did a dive down Tinderbox, it was 22.5 deg C at 12m depth - dunno how the salmon farms are going.

[Lancej]

Sounds like the blackberries were poor everywhere this year.