Author Topic: 2017 Sonoran Desert spring..... (Read 11212 times)

Nugget Shooter · « **on:** February 20, 2017, 09:39:22 am »

This is a spring like most of us in Arizona's Sonoran Desert have never seen and the ground that is normally covered in sparse growth in this time of year is almost totally covered in plants of many species and will bloom with a once in 100 years show, some we have never seen before. I will try to get as many pictures as I can of this event and will post them in this thread for you all. Today's photos are from yesterday from Lake Pleasant near (20 miles) my home and trust me this is not normal to see this type ground cover here and I am amazed by it..... I have no idea what to expect, but will share it with you all as it progresses and this should be quite a year for Arizona Honeybees.

riverbee · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2017, 10:51:24 am »

Zweefer · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2017, 11:35:50 am »

Very nice! Hope it translates to a bumper year for you!

vvand111 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 20, 2017, 12:21:07 pm »

Never seen a desert like that. Thanks Nugget

Perry · « **Reply #4 on:** February 20, 2017, 02:16:38 pm »

BEAUTIFUL!
It looks surreal. One does not expect to see cactus of that variety with what looks like Grass all around (I know it's not grass).
1 in 100 years? Take lots of pics.

efmesch · « **Reply #5 on:** February 20, 2017, 03:35:56 pm »

Nugget, being all too familiar with desert landscape from Israel's Negev desert, (which begins not far from my home and with two of my sons living in the Negev), I can only add my open mouthed amazement when looking at the pictures you've shared with us. Your bees are going to be overworked with all the flowers that have yet to bloom from that greenery.
Expect a real bumper crop. And please keep taking more pictures. I expect so see a variety of colors showing up as the season moves on.

Nugget Shooter · « **Reply #6 on:** February 20, 2017, 04:12:31 pm »

These are a big part of the "carpet" especially in recently disturbed ground and the bees appear use it.... Blue Phacelia (Phacelia distans)

Nugget Shooter · « **Reply #7 on:** February 20, 2017, 04:17:27 pm »

Also very common... Fiddle Neck (Aminckia menziesii)

Wandering Man · « **Reply #8 on:** February 20, 2017, 11:27:46 pm »

Really nice.

Thank you.

Countryboyky · « **Reply #9 on:** February 21, 2017, 06:50:26 am »

Very cool pictures. Thanks for sharing.

Nugget Shooter · « **Reply #10 on:** February 21, 2017, 08:55:13 am »

Lupinus arizonicus, Arizona Lupine

Nugget Shooter · « **Reply #11 on:** February 21, 2017, 09:01:29 am »

Sphaeralcea ambigua, Desert Globemallow

Perry · « **Reply #12 on:** February 21, 2017, 09:47:19 am »

Bee Buffet!

efmesch · « **Reply #13 on:** February 21, 2017, 12:27:00 pm »

The rainbow of colors is filling in. Just beautiful.

I'm duly impressed with your proper use of taxonomic rules of protocol: genus spelled with a capital letter, species starting with a lower caste letter. Not too many people do that correctly. For that matter, not too many people "trouble" themselves to provide the scientific name.
Thanks and Congrats!

Chip Euliss · « **Reply #14 on:** February 21, 2017, 01:46:15 pm »

Nice pics Nugget. Keep thinking about taking my bees there after almonds to do my early splits but haven't taken the plunge yet. I have a good friend with a 15,000 acre ranch south of you. I need to see when the quail season ends before I make that decision

Nugget Shooter · « **Reply #15 on:** February 21, 2017, 08:00:26 pm »

Thanks and much appreciated efmesch and it comes from my parents

My father is an Ornithologist and my mother was a teacher of teachers . Part of earning my allowance was species identification and it stuck

Chip, https://www.azgfd.com/hunting/regulations/

vvand111 · « **Reply #16 on:** February 21, 2017, 09:37:11 pm »

Really nice nugget great to see keep the pics coming what a wonderful world I really appreciate it!!

CBT · « **Reply #17 on:** February 21, 2017, 10:12:21 pm »

Time to buy more supers

Nugget Shooter · « **Reply #18 on:** February 22, 2017, 09:13:26 am »

I am building, building, building, have a bunch of mediums done and building some deeps to add to hives with only a single deep currently. Have already added supers to 4 of the 6 and the late November Swarm I boxed up last fall is already 5 frames used and will need a deep super soon, I run all 2 deeps except Tammy's hive which is one deep with mediums....

Nugget Shooter · « **Reply #19 on:** March 13, 2017, 06:45:12 pm »