Honey Flow in Northern Illinnois

[c10250]

It's my first year, so I don't know quite what to expect in terms of the honey flow. Is there anyone who has hives around Northern Illinois who can let me know what to expect in terms of the honey flow times?  For instance, is there a continuous flow? A spring and a fall flow? A dearth?


Thanks,

Ken

[Rebel Rose Apiary]

Ken,

I am down south of you, but the infamous Illinois weather is playing a major part in the honey flow this year. With all of the rain and cooler weather, the honey flow is not as good as it should be. Where I live, there has been a lot more windy days, as well as flooding of fields where the bees normally forage; they cannot get nectar or pollen when the fields are under water, so they are forced to travel a greater distance. This year is worse than most for a flow.

If there is a good late spring, early summer flow, it should be right about now in your area. But like I said, this year the weather is effecting the flow. Of course, in the hotter and drier days of summer, the flow will go into a dearth.

Later, I get a good fall flow when the sunflowers, smart weed/heart'sease, and goldenrod is in bloom. I suppose that you also live in an area where these plants are found as well.

This has been a record year for messing up the spring and early summer flow.

Brenda

[c10250]

Thanks for the info Brenda.

Ken

[mtbe]

I am in Northern Illinois (Ottawa) and the flow seems to be okay....but this is also my first year.

I have two top bar hives, and each has about 12 -14 bars of brood, and 4-5 bars of comb (very few brood, mostly honey, the ones toward the back of the hive are empty, but they are filling them as well.

Just visited a keeper in Chicago who's bees are going crazy bringing in the honey.  He's had his hive 4-6 weeks less than me, but probably more honey than me already.

[indypartridge]

I'm next door in Indiana but wanted to add to what Rebel Rose said, and to what mtbe hinted at: there can be very significant differences in flows and honey production over reasonably short distances (30-40 miles). I've had friends a half-hour away bragging about great flows and record honey crops during a summer where I had to continually feed. And I've had great years while beeks not far away have complained about what a miserable year it was.