Beginning of July tomorrow and my bees have produced very little honey. Most hives are just on the edge for stores. We have had rain so the turnaround can hopefully be fast. The flowers are blooming. Now if we can get sun without blowtorch drying wind, it still can be a great season. If not it is great next year country
Cold summer
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Hi Vance, I have had the supers up for eight weeks now. THought for sure we would have honey by now. Surprised when I opened the hive to find plenty of bees but not much honey activity.
WE requeened but had plenty of bees coming out of winter as we insulate the hive box from the top to keep the bees warm during the cold winter. The supers were stored in the chest freezer as they were half full from the fall.
IT appears that the cold and rainy spring here in Ohio slowed them down and delayed the early honey run from the maple trees.
Bud
WE requeened but had plenty of bees coming out of winter as we insulate the hive box from the top to keep the bees warm during the cold winter. The supers were stored in the chest freezer as they were half full from the fall.
IT appears that the cold and rainy spring here in Ohio slowed them down and delayed the early honey run from the maple trees.
Bud
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Vance, I'm seeing the same problem down here. Our last snow storm was just four weeks ago. There is still snow on the peaks. We are ten degrees behind normal. Instead of adding boxes in May I was taking them off. Up until the last two weeks we were getting rain 50% of the days and nighttime temperatures were still dipping into the 40s. For the last week or so nights are hovering around 60. The long wet cold spring has really drawn out the flow, but it has also kept the bees inside and unable to go get it. All of my hives were slow on the build up and the queens have only just kicked it into high gear. I worry now that July is going to turn everything brown in two weeks before they can collect very much.
edit: We were getting so many rainy days that my mother in law from Portland Oregon who was staying with us this spring was even complaining about it.
edit: We were getting so many rainy days that my mother in law from Portland Oregon who was staying with us this spring was even complaining about it.
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We have had so much rain this year, that today was the first time this year getting the truck into the bee yards. The money I spent 3 years ago on a side by side has paid off this year. A normal year we start pulling honey around July 4th. NOT this year. Maybe by the end of July if the rain stay away. We have had 9 days in a row with out rain.
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i havent seen any yet and it seems pretty wide spread. havent heard of any large operation around here with the signs of a crop on them yet. in fact most seem to be writing it off and concentrating 7 months out on almond plans
It's been the hottest June ever on record overall, been really rainy and cooler than normal here on the front range of the Rockies. Bees are behind a bit, but still putting up a good crop. Linden's are starting to go, about two weeks later than normal, honey should be pouring on with them starting.
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March 15-April 15 was great here, bees built up fast. Then it turned cool, with a lot of rain. Still by the end of may I was surprised at the amount of honey they'd put up. But the last 3 weeks, when they shoulda been really hammering the supers, we received washout rain almost every 3 days, with a few cool snaps mixed in. Many supers are back to empty. Part of me wishes I'd pulled supers June 1 and bought a bunch of sugar. But I really hate feeding.
Last year this time we had been flirting with 100 degrees and little rain for the last 60 days. I'd pulled a sub-par drought stricken spring crop and moved my bees to my soybean fields, where they did well. This year my beans are not big enough to start blooming yet, and many of my neighbors haven't been able to get theirs planted. Late planted beans usually get heavy pressure from pod worms, so might be a risk of getting sprayed there this year.
Last year this time we had been flirting with 100 degrees and little rain for the last 60 days. I'd pulled a sub-par drought stricken spring crop and moved my bees to my soybean fields, where they did well. This year my beans are not big enough to start blooming yet, and many of my neighbors haven't been able to get theirs planted. Late planted beans usually get heavy pressure from pod worms, so might be a risk of getting sprayed there this year.
Not much different here---- for now. Plants and bees WHERE 2 weeks behind. Rain continues, but it is HOT and humid now. The scale hive had gained a lb a day the last half of May, Flat the first half of June, and a lb a day the last half of June. The plants are going to race ahead with the heat. Alot of open brood, so the bees will catch up. It will take two weeks for us to dry out. IF it stops raining, the bees and White Sweet Clover should make the perfect storm in 14-21 days. Dream on!!!!
Crazy Roland
Crazy Roland
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Its the same here in southern Ontario (similar climate to Ohio/southern Michigan). Everything is 2-3 weeks behind; flowers, farmers planting, etc. We started with a bit of strength - good apple/pear bloom and an early dandelion bloom in May, but after that things went to pot. I'm hoping that everything that should bloom eventually does, but normally the ditches here are full of flowers by mid-June and they are still mostly grass...
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The Humidity will prevent the bees from evaporation the nectar down to cap it. Seems like it is just a no win situation this year.
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We should be seeing basswood in abundance any day. Whether we get sun for it is another story. And I know mine arent really up to making a huge crop on it given how hard had to knock them back to keep from swarming at one point. But theres a chance it'll set them up to move to the clover and thistle that should follow. Still got about 60 days left before its a wrap for 2019 summer
Across the divide in the Missoula area it has been a good spring flow. All of my packages are working on their second honey super with one of my hives that overwintered nearly filling 3 boxes. Totally the opposite of what I experienced last year, which was little honey. Go figure.
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NW Ohio we when from one of the wettest springs ever. To dry 90deg. And for the most dry. Strong hive made some. Weak nothing. Now that it is dry making up for the shortish of honey. But i am figuring on a small crop.
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