[kspruiet]

I am just wondering how many of you have heard (from beekeepers older than myself) that the nectar flow doesn't really "kick in" until after a full moon?

 

[Michael Bush]

I have never paid close attention to take note, but I never noticed that and it seems doubtful, but not impossible. It controls the tides and the plants may respond differently. Unless you bought some "moonbeams" from Russell Apiaries I wouldn't expect them to forage any more or less...

 

[kspruiet]

I have never paid close attention to take note, but I never noticed that and it seems doubtful, but not impossible. It controls the tides and the plants may respond differently. Unless you bought some "moonbeams" from Russell Apiaries I wouldn't expect them to forage any more or less...

I was told this by a migratory beekeeper (over 40 years in the business) who was speaking, I think, of the nectar yield and not directly about the bees foraging. I guess that I am inquiring mainly because the dutch clover has been blooming profusely here in central IL since spring began and now still in August, and I have yet to see the intense foraging that I expected. The full moon was amazing the last two nights and I was hopeful. The same beekeeper told me that it seems that honey bees really carry in the nectar from sweet clover when it seems to be drying up. Should I dismiss both comments?

 

[enjambres]

You could check this if you can locate a scale hive near you (NASA, of all things, is into coordinating and publicizing scale hive data) and check the days/periods when there is sharp increase in hive wieght for correlation to moon cycles.

Here's a link to the NASA site where you can find locations of scale hives around the country.
http://honeybeenet.gsfc.nasa.gov/About/ScaleHives.htm

Enj.

 

[Snookie]

Everythings BETTER with a Full Moon:}

 

[Nabber86]

Everythings BETTER with a Full Moon:}

My favorite movie is An American Warewolf in London. It doesn't get any better than that

 

[johng]

In another thread about Alfalfa Jim Lyon mentioned that it produced more nectar when it was a little drought stressed. So it could be true with clover also. Don't have any idea about the moon part.