Yep seems like a fantastic tree for the bee, seems to flower for quite sometime as well
Quorrobolong, is in the lower hunter reigon, about 20kms south of Cessnock and 50km west of Newcastle.
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Amazing plant! Thanks for sharing!
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Thank you Martha, the plants look a lot better today, I cleaned up all those weeds before breakfast. 11 flowers this morning, 10 yesterday, 15 the day before. No more now for another week.
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Iāve gone and bought a dragon fruit for my bees on the basis of all the posts. Any recommendations for growing them?
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Let them grow up a post.
Mine usually flower late evening, after sunset. Occasionally they open during the day. Even saw bees in pollen frenzy in the dark.
I give them organic lifter or mature chicken manure from the chookhouse once a year.
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Well done Bec, I give mine plenty of organic fertilizer, with rotting banana stalks as well as grass clippings. A bit of dolomite doesnāt hurt as well. Do you get a frost? Iām not sure how frost tolerant they are. They get a bit sun burnt on really hot days. Having said that, one branch that is severely sun burnt has new buds on it.
When itās about time for them to come into bud (Dec, Jan), go around & tip prune all of the branches that point downwards, especially after a decent night of rain or a thunder storm. That tends to trigger a budding event.
After fruiting has finished, give them a hard pruning. All of my branches are new growth after last seasonās heavy pruning. The prunings off good fruit producing plants are excellent to share or make new plants.
As Weber said, grow them up a post. Train them up the post, cutting off any side branches until it reaches the top. You can let them branch from inside a car tire or a wooden square mounted at the top of the post. Iāve been slack in not making those fixtures.
Good luck with it Beck, cheers
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Bees on a red flowering gum (yes, these flowers are pinkā¦the red flowering gums flower in a range of colours)
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5 posts were split to a new topic: Dragonfruit flowers/fruit
Ahh, visions of summertime! Reminds me of my container pond & makes me wonder if any of my plants and fish will have wintered over. I wrapped it with a hot water heater wrap but I have doubtsā¦
Is that a type of cress there, Skegs?
Aha you got me there Eva! Iāve had to google it. It looks like Frogbit. Thereās also duckweed, mint, umbrella reed and papyrus. So now I know. There are minnows in them to keep the mozzies at bay and a solar pump which is the only thing that I paid for. 
Now youāve made me google aquatic plants Iām going to have to pull the plants out and replace with edible onesā¦ Thanks. 
The best thing is that we donāt have many bees visiting the pool. Last year I was fishing out dozens of bees a day, now, just one or two. These small ponds have been in for the last two years and the minerals would have built up which seems more attractive to the bees.
I mentioned in another thread that when I watch the bees leaving I see them flying off away from my hives which I find curious.
As for summer, Iāve gotta say Iām a bit over it, the ground needs a drink.
Well how about that, a full paragraph with no bee puns. Hive surprised myself.
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Quite a bit of smoke bout in the background there.
Wow the flower looks like fireworks!
Thanks so much for the dragon fruit. Maureen asks where did it originally come from? , my guess is Indonesia or Southern China. We finished off a half, well Maureen had one piece and I scoffed the rest. You failed to warn me that if you overeat if you really get gas bad ā but it is really nice to eat 
cheers
Hi Peter, Iām really pleased that you both like it. It originated in Mexico, I think. They have really taken to it in Thailand & Vietnam. Itās easy to understand how one would imagine that it originated in that area.
You are winding me up 
I have never experienced gas from eating dragon fruit What did you have for lunch yesterday?
cheers for now
Reef fish and veg as usual. I did a Google and found a gas reaction when there is a low probiotic level, and a generally unhealthy diet - that fit right for me. The Dragon Fruit is found in SE Asia as well as Mexico, and is a cactus.
Cheers
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Last week during the warm spell the bee finally started bearding. The insulation in and on the roof seemed to be working well up until now. Currently in the middle of our main flow, somewhat late.
Although late in the season Iāve noticed drones and this could be an indication this colony may have a plan that doesnāt align with mine. 
Still in fire ban season until April and there are a few electronic signs around saying, āANY signs of fire call 000ā (Our emergency services number.) so smoke is out and it is quite daunting opening up a colony this size to do checks.
Anyway, here are pics of the same hive, same day at 40Ā°C an hour apart.
@busso, not smoke, sky and poor camera skillsā¦ Havnt had a fire these parts for a few years. They used to do controlled burns which I thought was great but as housing density and new estates grow too many new residents complained about the smoke so it was stopped. Now the bush land is weedy, tinder dry and dangerous.
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Found some bees wanting a drink near Daylesford today. They were ar a small creek that had stoped flowing and there was just a pool left.
I have a great video of one drinking but still trying to get it uploaded.
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It wonāt upload directly to the Forum, but if you upload to YouTube first, you can paste the link here and then we can all watch it. 
I was going to hit you with the same advice as Dawn has done, it seems that is the only way to get a video onto the forum.
Cheers
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