[Tigger19687]

Thought I would start this thread for all but mainly because I don't know when that is around here.

We have been getting some rain as of late and some wild weeds/flowers are just starting to bloom. I also don't know where they go during the day because it really isn't in my yard. Seems they are off towards some woodland areas.
We had such a Late Wet Spring that many frm type foods were planted late. Will that bring a later dearth?

What can I look for - Not in the hive- to know if we are getting into the dearth?

 

[Titus142]

I'm right on the Mass line. I just put the feeders on a couple hives that I am more concerned about brood production. But it seems like there is very little coming in. I still see lots of flowers but it is has been so dry I don't think they are producing much nectar. The milkweed looks like it is starting to die out before it even bloomed which is really unfortunate. I still see a tiny bit of pollen coming in but they took to the pollen sub real fast.

 

[Tigger19687]

I see some pollen coming in, not as much as before but enough that I am noticing when watching them.
They don't seem to be coming and going as much as before so I wondered if that also was a sign or I was just not here when they are all out.
I put out some feed in front of the 3 hives (10 feet away) it was super busy, even by the Bumbles.
I'm going to go out now and feed them just to be on the safe side. I did notice less brood last week

 

[StefanS]

Are you sure what are you doing? Goldenrod is not blooming yet, brood rearing is slowing down, but they are doing just fine. It is no time yet for feeding them yet for winter stores. Check forecast and treat them for varroa mites with formic acid upcoming days if you are not harvesting any honey.

 

[SeaCucumber]

I think its been consistently wetter than average. Lawns are green. Up to June, they mostly got pollen. Its my first year overwintering. From 2019 dead outs and packages, I went from 3 to 2 to 5 hives.
hive sizes (in mediums): 1/2, 4, 4, 3, 3
This year, I fed winter sugar bricks and 2:3 sugar : water (4 lbs 2 weeks ago, 12 lbs yesterday). My queens are bad.
The drought was mostly last month. They foraged the most in spring (starting around February). It was mostly pollen. At 1 point I had about 4 mediums filled with 95% pollen, 5% drone, no nectar. I think most plants are in a swamp or forest here.

 

[Robert Holcombe]

It is all about location .... and rain. I took to weighing hives with a scale to know what is going on - sort of. You can "heft" a hive or simply check the super for honey to knwo if they are OK. First time I weighed hives I detected a drop in weight and it got worse - no Fall flow in southern New England. A lot of hives straved before Christmas. This novice started feeding 2:1 syrup early, September and saved them all - took a lot of sugar. I now weigh whenever in doubt, doubt is also created by entrance activity. Both are big indicators of trouble or not.

 

[Tigger19687]

Are you sure what are you doing? Goldenrod is not blooming yet, brood rearing is slowing down, but they are doing just fine. It is no time yet for feeding them yet for winter stores. Check forecast and treat them for varroa mites with formic acid upcoming days if you are not harvesting any honey.

I think you meant to post on a different thread.


Is there Anyone else that can explain what to look for here in Mass for when the dearth starts or is coming ? Again, not what the Bees are doing, what the Earth is doing?

 

[clyderoad]

I think you meant to post on a different thread.


Is there Anyone else that can explain what to look for here in Mass for when the dearth starts or is coming ? Again, not what the Bees are doing, what the Earth is doing?

lack of or few flowers. lack of nectar . drought accelerates a nectar dearth. brown dry fields, dust. observe what pollinators are on the few flowers left blooming. hummingbirds at their feeder all the time.

check the combs for wet nectar or lack of.

coastal sweetpepper, knapweed and knotweed should be coming on soon if they have colonized there, maybe started by now, and they seem to buck the dearth trend most times.

StefanS makes some good points that shouldn't simply be dismissed.

 

[Tigger19687]

I was not dismissing StefanS info, Just thought it sounded like it was meant for someone else since I don't treat with what they posted nor did I saw it was for Winter stores. They are a bit low on extra stores because I had to split to another hive so brood was very delayed right now...but I didn't post that, so I thought it must be for someone else
I do have Goldenrod blooming, purple loosestrife too. I am just not familiar with what "natural/wild" flowers I would see dying that would show the dearth.
Our grasses are semi green, it doesn't seem like our drought is bad bad like it was a few years ago when you KNEW you were in a drought... if that makes sense.

 

[Robert Holcombe]

WOW Linda - Golden Rod already! I will not see it until Sept and you are only 90 miles North of me but inland. Purple Loosestrife, an invasive, was revered by an old beekeeper I met. He was disgusted that Ma. was trying to eliminate it. I would not call it a dearth with that stuff available.

Yes, I seldom see a prolonged drought here in 22 years. We typically get the area watered with morning dew from high overnight RH and fog.

 

[Jack Grimshaw]

Think you need to relabel your post.
From the Berkshires to the Cape,Mass has many different environments.
I am 10mi S of Springfield in CT and seeing heat and moisture stress on most non-irrigated plants.There will be a dearth here until knotweed in 2-3 wks.
(Except for my Evodia's first full bloom any day now)

 

[Tigger19687]

 

[Robert Holcombe]

:thumbsup: I was surprised to see Golden Rod in my garden so mature so early - not blooming but I believe will be earlier then Sept. What does the GOlden Rod know or is it some other stimulus like higher CO2 levels.

 

[clyderoad]

Early golden rod varieties seem to attract native bees and insects and very few honey bees.

 

[JWPalmer]

Ditto what Clyde said. I have some early GR blooming now in a ditch and have not seen any honey bees on it. And we are in a dearth for another couple of weeks here.

 

[massbee]

Early goldenrod is blooming here in north central MA, but I only see native/solitary bees on it. My bees are still zooming out of the hives like rockets, so not sure where they are going.

 

[Tigger19687]

Mine do the same and always have with only a few in my yard and the one across from the way they go out. But I am near some wooded area with stream and open marshy areas too.
Goldenrod is definitely blooming all around me too. Lilacs across the street are also blooming,

 

[Tigger19687]

I fed inside the hives and then fed out in the open late yesterday afternoon.
They took up a little over 1 gallon in like 2-3 hours. Granted this was 3 of my hives at it and a couple of wasp & yellow jackets.
I have a video that I will put on my YouTube channel later tonight if you want to see the mob for 15 minutes lol
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC-QgZEoGJeDxmGQvEpKB0aA

 

[SeaCucumber]

I'm in the big drought. Lawns are 1/3 brown. Hives are mean and quick to rob when opened. Bees would attack large beards with tiny entrances (always outnumbered >40:1). They have enough nectar. 2 weeks ago, I equalized enough to give all at least 5 fr. honey. I think nectar was neon green and slowly increasing. It might be fast now. Hives are low on pollen. I have a little in the freezer (don't ask). I checked 3 at risk hives last week, and fed 1/4 frame to 2 by pouring pollen in empty comb. I used the Randy Oliver jelly test. In spring, when hives of 4 mediums maxed out from the flow, they had 1-2 mediums of pollen at the entrance.

 

[Robert Holcombe]

SeaCucumber "I'm in the big drought. Lawns are 1/3 brown" _ it is dry here too!

I think we most plants are living on morning dew, heavy here as we are near the ocean, but deep cover / woods seem to be ok. My hives are foraging for some thing. I have been remiss on not checking supers enough - next cooler day / evening. The nights are getting colder. Waterign selected veggies now, blueberries and blackberries are finishing up now - yellow jackets on them = first sign of dearth or Fall? .