My hive at home is waiting for a swarm, hopefully soon, as I can`t wait to have bees right at my back door ! There is a high fence for them to fly up and over before hitting the neighbours place and is sheltered from the cold southerly winds by the fence and an orange tree - also, it can not be seen from the road. I am also looking forward to showing my Grandaughter Lia the bees on a closer level, she is keen so I want to encourage her. I had better warn the lawn mower man ...
The Kowhai, (Sophora tetraptera) are in bloom - one of the first signs of spring in Aotearoa. The Waikato river that flows through Hamilton where I live, was once lined with this smallish feathery-leafed tree - old Maori memories say that the river water tasted of Kowhai .. The nectar eating birds like Tui, Waxeyes and Korimako enjoy the sweet delight hidden well down in these bright yellow flowers - the leaves come out after flowering and it is semi-deciduous here in the Waikato.
We don`t have many brightly coloured native flowers here in NZ, so the Kowhai is extra special .
