Wow that sucks but I got a question. Is it a hard stop or is there still small amounts of nectar around at some points throughout the summer but not enough for them to store extra? You must have to do a decent amount of feeding if you make any splits in the summer. Are you able to get them to draw any comb for you still if you keep the feed on them?
It’s basically a quick stop. The privet shutdown/withers away and that’s the last of almost everything till golden rod in the fall. Depending on how much honey I take I may need to feed..
The flow here starts early March. I average about 2 supers. I’m in an area that has mainly corn, soy and cotton. Of course there’s no nectar in corn (which is about knee high now) and I've never seen anything from soy or cotton. Oh wait, from cotton, I get socks, underwear, jeans and shirts!
The BB is still hanging on here at a higher elevation in upstate SC. You're right after that it's very little until golden rod. That's what I get also 2 medium supers and leave one on thru dearth.
I'm assuming you're east of me if you have cotton. I'm in Lexington County and they're still bringing a little in, I'm not sure of the source.
We're in a sort of a hole here. There's no goldenrod here so have basically nothing after this until next spring. I'm considering moving some bees to Orangeburg in the fall to see what I can get.
We sometimes go until late May or early June. We’re still getting something as there is new comb and serious foraging going on.
Goldenrod blooms here but I’ve never seen anything that would qualify as a ‘flow’.
Late season splits require drawn comb.
One only needs to feed if they remove all of the stored honey.
I do sell all my honey @ approximately $8/lb. I buy HFCS for $3/gallon. My hives (approximately 30) are 8 minutes from my home. So for me, pulling honey and then feeding is a good option. Not only that, but I’m retired, except for selling vaporizers and going to conferences (which I totally enjoy); feeding is really not a chore.
Me too...so to my other calculations we can add the price of jars, lids and labels. Plus any market fees. Plus the time spent at the market selling the additional honey.
In my opinion, being retired doesn't mean that your time has no value. But...that's just my opinion.
Again, is there a profit in taking all the honey and feeding? Absolutely. Is it 8X? No! Is it worth it to an individual? Depends on the person. For me....no.
All honey sales for me are from my home. No market fees, advertising etc. I admit I have it good. My wife works in advertising for a company that has about 16 radio stations, so a nice perk she/we have are free spots on the stations every now and then. Then she uses my honey as a little “gift” to potential advertisers to get her in door to make her sales pitch for advertising.
Again, I admit I have it good.
SNL is outlining the difference in beekeeping here in SC. The coast, the midlands, and the upstate are three distinct macro environments. There are micro environments as well in each of these. In SC, we get a early start, and the flow shuts off pretty abruptly with the rising temps. There. Is. Nothing. Until. Golden Rod. Feeding something is almost a requirement. My location is noted so you can compare but I can tell you BB looks pitiful (drying and mostly set green fruits) the privet seems to be hanging on in areas where there is a good cover and a basin of water in the soil (low lying areas). I can catch a couple of supers per but we will commence with feeding following the super pull this coming weekend. Hope all is well for everyone. I bought a new extractor so I am itching to try it out.
In N/W Wisconsin the dandelions haven't even begun yet, which is roughly 2-3 weeks later than usual. Pollen has been readily available for a month, but our bees are surviving on the honey from last years deadouts right now, along with some syrup as the honey dwindles.
We were in the Twin Cities just last weekend (about 2.5 hours south) and dandelions were just beginning to bloom there....the many Lilacs (hundreds) that adorn the Highways around the city hadn't even begun blooming yet!!
Weird, less predictable (forecasts can no longer be trusted beyond a couple days, maybe) and more severe whether is apparently becoming the norm all around the globe, threatening agricultural activities, food supplies and commerce.
I've got a sister who studies these things, she's convinced the Earth has 'tilted' slightly (a 26,000 year wobble) which is causing all kinds of issues around our planet.
Who knows for sure, not me...
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