Author Topic: East Coasters - Spring Flow - Overall Hive Status (Read 8935 times)

bassman1977 · « **on:** May 11, 2009, 07:01:54 pm »

Just curious how the flow is going for the East Coasters. I did an inspection today and I am not very happy but at the same time, kind of expecting of the findings. The hives are huge. Plenty of brood and eggs and I accidentally found the queen in one hive. Let me tell you...that was the largest queen I have ever seen. :shock:

Usually about this time of year, after the dandelion bloom, I am taking off between 2 and 3 boxes of dandelion honey. My supers are dry right now. There's a good amount of honey in the lower parts of the hive and the one box is only 3 frames drawn out. None of the honey is capped. I know the clusters in all my hives coming out of winter were real small. I think the rain we were having when the dandelions were at their peek kept the foragers inside. Even still, when it was dry out, I would walk the yard and there weren't many foragers out in the dandelions. I wasn't very impressed with the dandelions this year either. They lasted only a week at their high point. Last year I know they lasted two weeks or so. Clover flow is next...a few weeks away I guess.

What are the rest of you experiencing?

tlynn · « **Reply #1 on:** May 11, 2009, 09:30:21 pm »

Raging laying queens, tons of pollen, one super from citrus already pulled and nectar now slowly coming in from Palmetto probably. Comb building on fresh frames slowly and steadily. We are just starting to see a few flowers on the cabbage palms. All this in spite of the most serious drought we have seen in years. It has felt more like Phoenix than Florida the past few weeks. There is now a water restriction in place that says you cannot water your lawn, wash the car, power wash the house, or fill fountains. It's a big deal around here. People are upset their expensive St. Augustine is dying, and it is. Fortunately I have weeds in the back and Bahia in the front.

I know a beekeeper who has about a dozen hives in 2 orange groves. He said the one grove with bigger hives got only a super or less of honey whereas the grove with weaker colonies gathered 3 supers each. The difference? The second was irrigated and the first one wasn't.

challenger · « **Reply #2 on:** May 11, 2009, 09:54:31 pm »

I'm in S.E. NC-almost SC and the flow here is sick. People are saying it is the best in 70+ years. Unfortunately my 3 good hives are needing to build comb but even so I have 2 med supers almost capped and I will be adding more tomorrow. I'd have done it today but it rained almost all day. I have a ton of Gallberry and Tulip Poplar where I am and I tasted some honey from some brace comb I had to get rid of and it was awesome. This is my first year with established hives and I am still thinking I should have more honey already but I've been told the flow is a little late. I don't know how long it last but if goes another 3-4 weeks my other hives should have plenty of foraging bees to add to my efforts. I really want to sell my honey for the Chordoma Foundation this June at the national meeting but I doubt I can get enough to make it worth the trip and even if I do June will be too close to get everything bottled. Heck I still need to find a source for 1lb plastic jars :)
Howard

SgtMaj · « **Reply #3 on:** May 12, 2009, 01:05:03 am »

I have not had any luck with the weather lately. The only days the weather has been good enough to mess with the hives has been on days when I otherwise haven't had the chance to get into the hives, and when I do have the time to get into them the weather hasn't been very nice. But on the other hand, the weather has extended some of the blooms, so I have mixed feelings about it. But I have been just itching to pull some honey out lately.

I just noticed the blackberries and clover started to bloom within the past couple of days here, so I am looking forward to that honey.

bassman1977 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 12, 2009, 10:20:47 am »

I know what you mean SgtMaj...I had a hard time getting to the hives also when it wasn't raining. It's a busy year. :)

Two Bees · « **Reply #5 on:** May 12, 2009, 10:29:30 am »

My two 2nd year hives are not really packing that much back as of yet. But both hives did swarm a couple of times each back in early April so I'm not really surprised. The swarms that I boxed and split are drawing comb and beginning to store some nectar for curing though!

bassman1977 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 12, 2009, 03:21:10 pm »

This can't be all the east coast beeks we have around here :? :? :? :? WHERE ARE MY PA BROTHERS AND SISTERS!!!!!!! :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D

SgtMaj · « **Reply #7 on:** May 12, 2009, 03:24:42 pm »

Alright, I got into one of my hives today... the girls were in a real pissy mood today, but they had built up very well, the queen has a nearly solid brood pattern too, They are loaded down with brood, 8 full deep frames of near solid brood. Had plenty of bee bread too, but very little honey. I was going to take some, but they had too little for me to take any. I guess it's all the rain we've had.

buzzbee · « **Reply #8 on:** May 12, 2009, 04:35:41 pm »

Hi Bassman,
my experience has been about the same.nectar in the broodboxes,not much activity in any of the supers.Seems a lot coming on late this year.

manfre · « **Reply #9 on:** May 12, 2009, 05:09:27 pm »

Both of my hives are still drawing out comb. They started a few weeks ago from medium nucs. They've been bringing back a lot of pollen and have been gulping down sugar water. I just need them to hurry up and draw out the comb and then get to work filling it.

JhnR · « **Reply #10 on:** May 12, 2009, 05:48:34 pm »

Here in the White Mountains of NH the dandelions and apple trees are just starting to open. My winter hive is booming with a full box of honey....on the bottom. Looks like the bees started in the top box (#3) and worked down. They were at the very top this winter so I started feeding in February. The nights can still get into the high 30's and low 40's but the pollen is very heavy for this time of year. I'm hoping to split all ten hives in June and will leave the honey for winter food...then next year...

John

wetland bee · « **Reply #11 on:** May 12, 2009, 09:02:01 pm »

I have notice clover blossoms and a little white tips on black locust Flowers, won't be long now. No honey here either yet . Enough Rain for now. Save some for Summer.

TwT · « **Reply #12 on:** May 12, 2009, 10:07:12 pm »

hives bigger than any other year in beginning of march before any flows, they are still packing it in but they thing with queens this year beats me, I have some hive wanting to requeen a new queen that has 5 full frames of brood, plenty of room, they did the same about 3 years ago with queens, now matter how good she was they would kill her or make her swarm, other than that they going barn burners. and still got a good flow going.

challenger · « **Reply #13 on:** May 12, 2009, 10:54:08 pm »

TWT-how long does the flow normally last in your neck of the woods.
I checked mine today and the 2 strong hives I have supers on are putting away a good amount of honey. It is my first year trying and they have had to build comb. My main issue is that they have a lot of comb built between the bottom bars of the honey frames and the top bars of the hive body below and when I reduced the number of frames from 10 to 8 I broke had to break a lot of this comb and also replacing the frames meant squeezing a lot of bees between the frames. I hope this doesn't happen next year when I have comb in the honey supers. Other than that I think I have some of the best honey coming in right now. Some of the frames have some capped honey and some of the brace comb I had to get rid of was capped and I chewed it up and it was heaven. The honey ranges from light amber to literally clear. I hope I can sell it for Chordoma for a premium price. Wish me luck.

TwT · « **Reply #14 on:** May 12, 2009, 11:00:51 pm »

we start with a few small flows in mid march then the major flow starts about late april, then we have a few small flows going through may and into June, this year clover is running ramped, I have 15 hives on a cow pasture full of white clover and they are still hauling it in, the tulip poplar should still be going but close to ending, the blackberries blooms just stopped and the tulip poplar should be close behind, china berrie are going strong now one one out yard that other flows have stopped on so with the rain we had this year we should be going good for a few more weeks.

Cossack · « **Reply #15 on:** May 12, 2009, 11:35:44 pm »

I am just outside Ocean City, Maryland and the nectar flow has been real slow. We have been receiving a lot of rain. In fact it has been one of the wettest Springs in 10 years in this area.

I have 3 supers each on my 7 hives and they have filled one and a half supers so far. I hope this rain stops. The Farmers can't even get in the fields to plant their corn.

Good Luck.
:-\

thomas · « **Reply #16 on:** May 13, 2009, 01:26:23 am »

Howdy All i am here in virginia and well i have one super full and capped except the comb at the bottom of the super frame and they are swarming like crazy but i have been able to catch them all. I had one hive that capped all but the little bit of comb and i am waiting for them to finish capping it but they swarmed and left it but they are in the second super drawing out that and filling it. I also had my first hive to swarm and they broke the tree limb and drew out the brood chamber in a day or two so i put a super on them and they are filling it except the side frames. Today they were busy working like crazy so i am hoping to maybe get at least a couple of supers of honey my girls are not touching the blackberries this year they seem to be working on something else clover is in bloom but due to the rain they are turning brown but i have not seen any basswood blooming yet. Is it safe to say that i can pull this super that has maybe a inch of honey that has not been capped to sale.

Thomas

WayneW · « **Reply #17 on:** May 13, 2009, 07:41:13 am »

My hive from last year is going strong!!! Bursting at the seams with bees :). Havent really checked stores as all my frames are foundationless and need to be drawn first.

I hived a package last friday that seems to be going great so far. They are drawing comb like crazy (also on foundationless), the queen is free, but i havent been back in to see if she's laying yet (maybe today).

The wet weather here has been rediculious, 8 days in a row............ .25 to .5 a day or so. It hasnt been total washouts, no flooding conditions, but wet and cold everyday. Forecast says now it will start to warm up and dry out a tad. Guess time will tell.

There's been lots of activity at both hives and the package has slowed down taking the sugar syrup, so im guessing there is a strong flow of something since they are drawing comb nicely.

bassman1977 · « **Reply #18 on:** May 13, 2009, 12:50:58 pm »

Thanks for the responses. It pretty much confirms my suspicions that the rain is slowing the bees' time in the fields and limiting honey production. Here's hoping better conditions!

1of6 · « **Reply #19 on:** May 13, 2009, 03:29:54 pm »

Quote from: bassman1977 on May 13, 2009, 12:50:58 pm

Thanks for the responses. It pretty much confirms my suspicions that the rain is slowing the bees' time in the fields and limiting honey production. Here's hoping better conditions!

Yes, Rain and cold is killing us. We really need some warmer weather.