[Bumbles]

We've had unusually warm weather in this part of the country this spring. Black locust trees bloomed early in May instead of late last month, dandelions are finished with their initial bloom, and white clover has appeared weeks ahead of last year. Tulip poplars are finished already, and they didn't open until late June last year. I've only started observing these things recently, but I think the nectar flow is about finished this year. Old time beeks say it usually runs until early July, but is it finished nearly a month ahead of normal here? :s

 

[Onehorse]

I'm thinking and a lot of local beekeepers are confirming that it is probably going to be a looonngggg summer for the bees. I already have a hive that is eating foundation. Yes, the flow is pretty much over here.

 

[hardtimekenl]

i think it is the same here in va .the same story .looks like bees starded out good then ever thimg stopped ....

 

[mdaniels]

Is it then time to feed them again?

 

[Dragonfly130]

I had a really good flow on last week between Monday the sixth and Friday the tenth. I'm unsure of the source. It may have been wine berries (some call red raspberry) as they were opening. Hopefully it's still going strong!

I did notice a gap in the flow when the tulip poplar was done though.First week of June for me. Locust timing was about the same for me as last year middle of may.

There should be something going for a while yet. We are getting enough rain, flows should keep moving along. There's still lot's of wild flowering plants out there. Crown vetch is open. Don't know if bee's are on it yet. Alfalfa that's not been cut should be open. Also unsure if bee's are in it yet. I hope so as I placed some light colonies on some a week ago. It was just starting to open then along with crown vetch.

As long as we are getting occasional rain we should be in good shape for a while here in Pa.

 

[Bumbles]

Is it then time to feed them again?

I wouldn't start feeding until mid to late August to start to build up the brood going into the fall flow, unless your bees haven't filled your brood boxes. If it is pretty much finished, I was going to pull my supers off, and extract early, before they started feeding off them. I would think they would have to go out and forage, rather than dip into their reserves. It would hope it would also get the queen to cut back on her brood production. Last year, I had way too many bees going into July & August for the available food supply. The brood boxes were half empty of honey stores going into August.

 

[Bumbles]

As long as we are getting occasional rain we should be in good shape for a while here in Pa.

You seem to be the closest geographically to me, but I think you're in a much more rural area. I'm in the heart of suburbia, and don't have many fields of wild flowers within their foraging range. Everything that's not corn fields is pretty much mowed lawns. There are some patches of woods where the honeysuckle is about finished it's early bloom, but very few trees that are flowering right now.

 

[Bumbles]

THANK YOU to all who replied to this thread. Your input has been very helpful. Good luck with your bees, and hope you have a productive season!