A question for Georgia Beeks.

[Georgia Boy]

I now have a hive from a pkg and 3 hives from nucs and they seem to be building up slowly. Just wondering if other Georgia beeks are having the same thing going on with their hives the building slowly that is. The weather has been very wet and on the cool side for us and was wondering if this is slowing them down.

The next thing I need to know is when does our flow stop in the Atlanta area? I know the blooms are almost gone but don't know when the nectar stops.

Last thing is pollen. Was seeing a boat load of pollen coming in now not so much. Should I still be seeing a lot of pollen and when should I expect a decrease?

Thanks

David

[don2]

The wet spring with roller coaster temps has had some effect om blooming of some species. You should have some nectar and pollen flow through out the summer. It is also roller coaster design. The summer wild plants should be in partial to full swing by now. If you know where there is Kudzu  in July/Aug. Mimosa should be in June/July. If you have access to any lots you can plant, buck wheat is good. White dutch clover blooms through out the summer. Good thing about the clover when it starts to get old and slows blooming just clip it with the mower, not too short and you will have more with in 7 to10 days. hope this helps.  :) d2

[10framer]

well, last week things were starting to happen and today the bees were hanging around the hives and kind of irritable.  driving home i noticed that privet is already basically out.
it's been terrible in my part of the state.  the guy that owns 400 acres next to me mowed about 10 acres of white clover a couple of weeks ago and it seemed to be blooming pretty good last time i looked.  wild blueberry is in bloom but i don't think it does much. 
sumac should be in soon and you may have sourwood up your way.  if you're near cotton fields you may get a flow from them.
don's right about buckwheat.  i planted about an acre yesterday and i planted about an acre and a half of sunflowers a few weeks ago.  i'm trying to give mine something to work til goldenrod comes in.  i have some large cotton fields a few miles from me but i don't know if they'll find them.
as far as pollen goes, when bahia grass starts up the bees will bring in a lot of pollen off of it.  the bees will start bringing in all kinds of pollen this summer.
i was thinking today that i'd probably actually have to feed this year and i don't like too but between me pushing the bees and crappy weather if sumac doesn't really put out i won't be harvesting this year (i hadn't planned to) and i won't be doing another round of splits (i'm more upset about this).
my neighbor got a package last saturday.  i hope it does ok, i hived a swarm right down the road a couple of days before that so i feel like the feral bees think there's still time.
sorry about rambling but this has been on my  mind today.
anyway, don't let it get you down.  it was just a really bad spring but there are still some flows to go.
 

[brushwoodnursery]

I'm calling this a building year. Did a small early harvest of cross comb and it was amazingly delicious. Pulled a single super a couple of weeks ago from my most productive girls because we needed a bunch of gifts for the kids' teachers and some other folks. Also planning to take a couple of hives up for Sourwood this July. I sowed a lot of white clover last fall but it didn't go well because i did it the lazy way. Just tossed it out before a rain.

[asprince]

I purchased 16 nucs about a month ago and they are booming. Things started off a little slow due to the rain and cool temperatures but I have several hives starting to fill their third honey super. Not the best year but decent.


Steve

[10framer]

what are they working steve?  mine were wide open friday but yesterday it turned off (privet bloomed out really fast).  this is my first year back in so most of my stuff has had to be drawn out so i probably don't give them credit for what they've done.  i also did some walk away split and pulled some nucs from a couple of hives.  still, i haven't seen any nectar that looked like poplar and a have a lot of poplar within 1-1/2 miles of me that have bloomed out.  unless mine find something i think i'm about to be at a little stand still for a couple of weeks.  

[asprince]

They were working like mad yesterday. There is still some isolated privet but it is about to end. I see Chinese Chestnut and Magnolia blooming and some wild clover. Have no idea what else if anything.

Steve 

[don2]

I think there will be summer wild flowers, asters and such in bloom all through the summer. Some time not as much as other times. :) d2

[brushwoodnursery]

So, my neighbor's yard is chock full of a Dandelion. It's a little different than the ones i know from up north but I don't see a single bee on them anywhere. What's up with that?

[asprince]

So, my neighbor's yard is chock full of a Dandelion. It's a little different than the ones i know from up north but I don't see a single bee on them anywhere. What's up with that?

They like something better.


Steve

[sc-bee]

 Not Ga but close enough to the Ga. line. I see vetch now in the fields. Is it hairy vetch, cow vetch, crown vetch? I hear folks say crown vetch is not a source but hairy and cow are?

Anyway the purple vetch has bloomed all over and privet is browning. Thank goodness on the privet at least on an allergy end  :shock:

[divemaster1963]

Mine are still in gang buster mode. I amy pulling suppers next weekend. most are 3 supers full. the best year I had in the last three because of the drought. but no rain expected for the next 2 weeks so I guess this is all I will get till it rains again.

John

[10framer]

mine were working pretty hard yesterday but nothing like a week ago.  it's dry and dusty below the fall.  hopefully i'll be irrigating by the weekend.