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Author Topic: slllllooooooow floooooows  (Read 1481 times)

Offline rober

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slllllooooooow floooooows
« on: June 08, 2013, 11:15:29 am »
we're having an unusually cool spring with a fair amount of rain. it has slowed everything way down. morel mushrooms were few & far between. the black locust was late & brief. last year there were an average of 8 bees per bloom on my asian poppies. this year they ignored them. i'm thinking it was so cool that they were not producing enough nectar & pollen to be attractive. the early flows have been intermittent & sporadic. queen & brood development have slowed way down as well. my supers are filling very slowly. i helped an injured beekeeper work several of his bee yards & we did not put supers on 1/3 of his hives. the emba club hives are fairing the same. hopefully the girls will get enough over the summer to get thru the winter but it's looking like it's going to be slim pickins' as far as harvesting honey around here. anyone else seeing the same?

Offline 10framer

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Re: slllllooooooow floooooows
« Reply #1 on: June 08, 2013, 01:33:24 pm »
our spring was cold and wet and the main flow (tulip poplar) was completely rained out for me.  privet did pretty well and i expect to see them working sumac today.  i hope i need to super but i'm not counting on that.

Offline rober

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Re: slllllooooooow floooooows
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2013, 01:47:21 pm »
 i have a 3/4 full super on the 1 hive that survived the winter. all my other hives are newly hived swarms & removals, & 3 new hives started from nucs. if things do not improve it looks like i'll be lucky to get 2 medium supers this year.

Offline Better.to.Bee.than.not

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Re: slllllooooooow floooooows
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2013, 04:04:26 pm »
Things are not to bad up here in s-e michigan. Not stellar but not to bad at all.

Offline D Semple

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Re: slllllooooooow floooooows
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2013, 04:37:47 pm »
I moved 12 hives to a couple hundred acres of dense yellow clover this morning. Late spring here in KC, clover just started blooming about a week ago. Most the farm ground has not been planted because of rain the last 6 weeks.

Don

Offline blanc

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Re: slllllooooooow floooooows
« Reply #5 on: June 09, 2013, 09:06:58 am »
Seems we have been in a constant flow for weeks now and no letting up with chinese tallow on our heels and trying to keep up. Beings my second year this will be my first official harvest and first good comb buildup. It has been raining more than usual since we had been in lower than average rain conditions for years down here but still have clover which is very unusual for this late as temps are reaching 90's and figure clover is coming to an end quick. Privet looks like it is slowing too but there are so many wild flowers you never notice until you become a beek it is amazing :) .
Blanc
Psalm 19:9-10
The fear of the Lord is clean,enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea ,than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Offline johng

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Re: slllllooooooow floooooows
« Reply #6 on: June 10, 2013, 02:15:37 pm »
Tallow is going pretty good for us in Northeast Fl. once they stop it will slow down quite a bit. We have had a pretty good flow this spring the rain has helped a bunch. Orange blossom was off but, Gallberry and Tallow look pretty good.

Offline HomeSteadDreamer

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Re: slllllooooooow floooooows
« Reply #7 on: June 10, 2013, 02:45:44 pm »
I know this is probably bad to say out loud.... I think my bees need a break from the flow.  They are backfilling the brood chamber and constantly trying to honey bind my queen.  It is my first year and they can't seem to draw the comb fast enough.