Looking my beekeeping notes from yrs past, early blooms seem 12-14 days behind this spring here in Metrowest MA.

Hives seem behind also. Usually my hives bringing in tons of Maple nectar/pollen by this point but not this yr.

 

Last year was an abnormally mild winter and early spring. This year is more normal or just slightly behind.

Loads of nectar coming in now here. Swarms releasing etc.

 

I'm two to three weeks behind up here northeast of Albany. Just barely got daffodils in the last 24 hours.

But nectar flow is not lock-step linear. Bloom progression is affected by multiple factors. So depending on what you consider your best sources of nectar, it may be late, or right on time because while the early plants were affected by a prolonged cold spring, the later ones are not as controlled by spring temps.

Nancy

 

I am behind about 2 weeks from last year. I am noticing that things seem to be "compressed" lots of things that bloom with space in between or not much overlap are coming on at the same time.

DD accumulation on 4-26-18: 108. QA 100% ok

This year is about versus QA
17 days behind 2017 ok
28 days behind 2016 ok
4 days ahead 30-yr normal ok

 

I have been feeding my hives Ultra Bee pollen sub in powder form on a bench in my yard every nice day that they can take it. They have totally demolished the piles I put out. I inspected this past weekend and switched boxes around etc. and found stored nectar already and some of the pollen I fed; some hives were just starting with eggs, others had a few frames of capped brood, etc. Im about 2 hours from Enjambres in the catskills.

 

It usually starts here in south Arkansas around the 25th but I don't see any sign of it yet.

 

Right now my bees are way behind the plants.
What will come? I don't know and not so foolish to think I do.

The way I play it when the bees are behind is to feed pollen and equalize early, re-check them after 2 brood cycles or so and judge strength, combining colonies to get
them strong enough to make a honey crop if still behind, then splitting out nucs just after the flow to rebuild numbers.

 

Clyderoad
Just curious, I know you are in a colder climate but what date do you shoot for to split those that you combined earlier?
Thanks
gww

 

gww- as soon after the flow as possible so they can be treated and build for winter. We have a summer dearth that hits more or less mid/late July-mid/late Aug and is NOT the time to make splits or nucs unless one is willing to feed and keep them in a designated nuc yard.
The simple answer is sometime in the beginning of July.

 

Clyderoad
Your dirth sounds very simular in timeing to what happens here. Thank you for answering my question.
gww

 

Hi everyone,

Would love to know what everyone thinks is the main plant responsible for their major flow? I think here in Western CT is Black Locust, simply because I have managed to identify more of them around me! Normally starts mid May! Keeping my fingers cross that this year is going to be at least couple of weeks late or I have to combine hives to pull nectar.

dp

 

I've been keeping a bloom chart for well over 10+ years on the most significant blooms in my area, which I believe may mirror other regions in the midwest or northeast. One thing I have learned is ... there really is not a clear "normal" in the spring months. But what I have been able to conclude is that when the early blooming plants or trees begin on a certain date the following blooms seem to keep the same spacing on the time line, whether early or late. This pattern usually begins to tighten up when I get past the Blackberry/Black Locust blooming dates, and then Yellow Clover and other early summer blooming plants begin to fall on a similar date each year regardless of when the early blooms started up.

The start date of early spring blooms, whether early or late on the calendar, seems to impact the pace of colony build up and also the start of primary swarming. I've also noticed that when the main nectar flow gets into full swing the duration of the flow is either shortened or lengthened. If it is shortened due to a late spring start, such as I'm experiencing this year, the nectar flow will be shorter but much heavier. A strong colony will fill supers with nectar much more quickly than in other years.

I'm about 2 weeks later than last year. The first Dandelions started last year on April 7th, this year on April 19th.

Last spring we had Apple blooms starting to open on April 17th and peaking on April 23rd. Here we are on the 28th and the buds are still tight.

With data from past years I'm able to compare the early blooms to other years and predict when the Apple, Blackberry, Black Locust will start up. Our main flow, which typically ramps up with the Black Locust bloom dates, started last year on May 11th. Based on records from past years it looks like this year it will be about May 18th. You can see that as spring progresses the calendar dates begins to tighten up the closer you get to the main flow.

 

Black locust is a good, but unreliable, nectar producer. I would say that a couple of years out of ten it sets all records and the trees look as if they are covered with snow. But for two or three years out of ten, you can barely see a blossom, so it's a huge bust. Fortunately different trees seem to be running on different schedules, so it's rarely a total bust, though it can be. Ill-timed heavy rain can also make locust a bust by washing out the nectar and breaking off the flower racemes.

Staghorn sumac and Basswood are good nectar plants at that same time, or in the case of Basswood a bit afterward. Black cherry should also be good in CT, but before locust. And you may get a flow from the more southern-y trees than I have up here: Pepperidge, tulip trees, maybe even sourwoods in gardens.

Nancy

 

It sounds like you are describing the cyclical nectar production from the linden tree.

 

No, I am describing black locust. (Though basswood also has an intermittent bloom cycle.)

I suspect that excess seed-set in one year may inhibit formation of the flower buds for the following year. I have noted that when an individual tree still has a lot of seed pods still hanging the following spring that the flowering is reduced. I don't know why a particular tree's seeds pods would fail to absciss on schedule.

I have been wondering about this for decades, long before I had bees.

Nancy

 

Well you'd be hard pressed to live long enough to see the locust bloom and nectar flow fail enough times to call it unreliable- never mind missing
2 or 3 years out of every 10.
In fact it's about as reliable a late spring flow as there is, like the dandelion is to early spring.
Here in the flatlands south of Albany it rarely fails to give a flow. Few other trees give as much nectar so reliably.
Maybe your location is pushing it's northern range.

 

In my area hot weather tends to destroy the black locust blooms quickly. Not sure if it hurts or improves honey production.

For my are rain towards the end of May and June is really important. If it turns dry the season is over.

 

It's most likely a regional consideration. I don't remember ever seeing an off year without a robust Black Locust bloom. Nectar yield can vary, but it would not be related to a lack of blooms. Once in a while we may get an extended period of rain during the limited bloom period which restricts the bees access for gathering nectar. If the weather cooperates, it's a beautiful thing. The aroma around the hives during the Locust bloom period is wonderful, a mix of very fragrant spring nectar sources.

 

It's most likely a regional consideration. I don't remember ever seeing an off year without a robust Black Locust bloom. Nectar yield can vary, but it would not be related to a lack of blooms. Once in a while we may get an extended period of rain during the limited bloom period which restricts the bees access for gathering nectar.

Like you, I have records of bloom dates, and I correlate them with data from a hive on a scale. My scale data shows this very clearly on the year over year comparison graph.

2017 is the light green line, 2018 is the red line that ends on April 28 when I took the snapshot of the graph for reference. In 2017 the Maple bloom started on April 16, in 2018 it started on April 15. In 2017 we had rainy weather and the graph shows hive put on no weight during the maple bloom. This year, bloom started on the 15th, and on the 18th the hive started gaining weight. Some fascinating data from this year. We kept patties on since Feb 12th, and from then till mid April the stores consumption was fairly consistent, 20lb decrease over 30 day span. the low on April 17 was 93 lb, to a high on the 27th of 108, a delta of 15lb over 10 days. It's essentially putting on weight at a rate double the consumption of the prior 60 days. FWIW, the Feb 12 inspection shows bees on 4 frames, then my April 15 check sheet shows bees on 17 frames with 6 frames of brood. During that buildup they consumed just a tad under 40lb of stores along with 4 pounds of patties, I was using the Global Patties 15% this year. It's been raining since I grabbed that copy of the graphs, and consumption is right in line with the trend thru the buildup while we go thru a few days of rain.

Two years, blooms at essentially the same time, but wow what a difference on the nectar flow.

The fall portions of the graphs show similar tidbits. 2014 and 2017 we had enough rain in the fall that things produced for a fall flow, bees didn't need a fall top up of stores. 2015 was hot and dusty thru August and September, bees were pretty light during fall checks and we had to pour on the syrup. Last year this colony didn't need any syrup in the fall.

This particular colony sits stationary, never moves. We have it set on the scale and it's main purpose is to provide us with data on how the season is progressing. It wintered in a double deep and currently has one medium honey super on. If the next week can produce 5 or 6 days of warm sunny weather (which is in the forecast), then I expect we will be harvesting a super of maple honey just before the berry bloom starts.

 

very interesting discussion.
Maple honey?!
We have no shortage of maple trees in Northeast, How come I have never heard of maple nectar flow?

 

Maples flower and offer nectar very early. Many times, before the average daily temps reach good flying conditions for the bees. It is quite frustrating to see all those beautiful red flowers and a mountain of red, but the temps are still too cold, rainy, or damp for the bees to fly.

 

Maple nectar flow can be huge. Its the first nectar/pollen source. It's what gets the hive built up. Typically it's too cold to fully exploit, but you'll have a few good days. In Louisville it starts in February and goes thru April since they're several species that don't bloom at the same time. It's over now.

 

The coming week our temps are in 70s and even 80s. Red maple buds abound, so there could be maple nectar flow into the hives? wish there was a way to know that!?

 

A good reason to super early as cloverdale and burns both mention. Better to be prepared. I also follow MPs practice of supering early. I have never had a surplus from maples, but I've only been at this for 5 yrs and the past 3 springs have been slow going. I forget who said it, "the supers won't get filled sitting in the shed".

 

If you can get a scale hive you can follow the gain in weights on a daily, even hourly, basis. This will tell you when your bees are bringing in nectar. They can be fancy hi-tech digital devices, or old fashioned grain scales. Google up scale hives for more info.

I think you would learn much from a good tree identification field guide, particularly one aimed specifically at southern New England. Why not see what your local public library has to offer as a first start. There are books that use leaf shape as the primary key, and also ones that use bark (the bark ones are usable all year round.)

I have tons of maples, but none could lead to a surplus of maple honey- they are entirely used as late winter chow and early spring and brood food.

Nancy

 

I am just amazed that your hives makes it so strong through the winter that you can super so early. Beginning to wonder if I do my pre winter OAV effectively enough!

 

I am just amazed that your hives makes it so strong through the winter that you can super so early.

In my area the maple flow is turned into brood. The first maples begin to bloom in late february. I put supers on mid March.

You'de be surprised how built up hives can be in February. Most new beekeepers don't realize that and super late and bees swarm.

 

This is something Michael Palmer has written that another member had sent me and I archived it in my "important posts folder"

"Within the colony, there are two groups of bees...if you will. Nectar storers and brood rearers. In the overwintered colony, the brood rearing cluster is located at the top of the hive. When the nectar flow starts, the nectar storers require storage space. With no overhead storage room for the nectar, it can only go in comb space recently vacated by emerging brood. That creates conflict between the two groups. The queen prefers to lay eggs in those recently vacated cells. But, the nectar storers have placed nectar in those cells because there's nowhere else. This to me is the prime swarming trigger.*

So how do you manage a colony to limit that conflict?

First, proper supering....early and often. The first thing I do in the spring...before the nectar flow starts...is to add two honey supers. This accomplishes two things. The nectar storers have overhead nectar storage space. It also allows the queen overhead comb space into which she can move if she so desires. See, to me, it's that downward pressure on that queen...caused by nectar storage in the top of the broodnest that initiates swarming preparations. Adding empty comb space above the active brood rearing cluster eliminates that downward pressure.*

Once the flow starts in earnest, the supers are being filled, and once again that downward pressure happens. Nectar is stored in the top brood box forcing the queen lower in the hive. Yes some colonies will still perform well under these conditions, but no all. Many will swarm. That's when I reverse the broodnest. This again places empty comb space above the active brood rearing cluster. The queen can move up onto empty comb. Additional supers are given for the nectar storers a place to store incoming nectar. Because nectar is so thin...so much water...nectar takes twice the comb space for storage as the finished product. You have to stay one super ahead of your bees."

I hope you find this as helpfull as I did

 

Thanks for sharing that! Deb

 

He's a smart bee man that Mike Palmer.

 

indeed. tons of hive years and gifted to boot.

 

No problem. Happy to share whatever and whenever I can.

 

Clyderoad
Will your bees gain any weight while on fruit trees?
Cheers
gww