[squarepeg]

the tulip poplars have just started to bloom here and i saw the first new white wax cappings in one of my strong colonies today. this comes after 3-4 weeks of swarming and spring supercedures, and it marks the beginning of what promises to be a good main nectar flow this year. all of my drawn supers are already in use but i added supers with foundation today. each of these supers got a little drawn comb for bait and were placed one box down from the top, which was generally about the top of the working level in most hives.

 

[MsBeHaven]

That gives me hope here in Birmingham. Between the cold snaps and the frequent rains, we're due a good flow...

 

[Native Bee]

I have never noticed how beautiful the tulip poplars are until this year. I was already into wildflowers, but beekeeping makes you aware of all sorts of flowers that you haven't ever noticed before. I just hope we don't get any weather that knocks the flowers off.

 

[beemandan]

We've hit it here too. A friend, who is usually trustworthy in such things, told me that the tulip poplar buds were damaged in our last frost. I nearly cried. Then, today, I see them all over the place. Lots of new comb.
It has been a very strange spring. Nearly every one of my established production hives already has put up more than the entire last season's average. I'm not sure what they've gotten but they've been going gangbusters since the first of the month. Knocking on wood here....but it has the makings of a banner year.

 

[squarepeg]

nice!