flow and dearth

[thomasj]

I live in florence sc and am a new beekeeper. Been trying to find some information on when the major flows start and stop here. Also how would I be able to know when we are experiencing a dearth. I think I can winter with two 10 frame deeps. They are almost 80% full of brood, pollen and stores. Should I stop feeding when I put on a honey super? Thanks

[psfred]

Can't help you with when your flows are, but you can easily tell when there is a dearth -- the bees quit foraging since there is nothing to collect. They will also start robbing, which you will also notice.

Stop feeding when you put supers on, you don' want supers full of sugar syrup, it's not honey. You may or may not get a harvest, likely not if you are only 80% full on two deeps by now, at least here, since this is when things slow down locally (unless it rains more, in which case all that clover everyone got in their yard this year will come back and bloom some more). Worst that will happen is that the bees with chew up the foundation some.

If they have not filled that super by late August, I'd take it back off and feed them until the top deep is all stores and the brood is in the bottom box if it's not full by then.

Peter