[Jim Braun]

I recently read an online article from the Washington Post. It talked about how the south east United States was as much as 3 weeks early this year(2020). This was about bud break. This information was from the USGS.

My question is does any one use their service to determine when to start their beekeeping year? I would think this would be a good help for any area of the country.

 

[Michael Palmer]

You don’t need a weatherman to tell which way the wind blows

 

[AHudd]

Look out kids,

You don’t need a weatherman to tell which way the wind blows

B. Dylan

I guess that info might be useful to someone chasing the flow. I have heard a some people do that, but don't know anyone personally.
I have wondered about the Black Locust bloom from the South to the North. We have a lot of them about ten miles from me in both directions and then on into Ok. with the bloom stretching out about five or six weeks. Beyond Ok. I don't know how many there are. One would probably need a pretty good premium to make it pay, though.
I was told by an oldtimer they make very good fence posts because once cured they are very resistant to rot. He guessed maybe that is why there are none in the immediate area.

Alex

 

[My-smokepole]

I keep a eye on the Ohio University one. But more for Curiosity of how things are progressing.

 

[dudelt]

I don't use their service but do keep a journal of bloom dates. I do know from years of keeping the journal that the blackberry flow (our primary one) happens just about 45 days after the apples are in full bloom. So for me to get a good foraging team going to collect nectar from the blackberries, the queen needs to be going to town when the apples are blooming. Unfortunately, that is also our prime swarm season. If the hive gets too big and swarms, you get nothing from the blackberry flow. It is also the time when our big leaf maples are in bloom and the hive is quickly filling with maple nectar.

 

[Cloverdale]

Well I watch the maples; the sap has started running just in the last day or two; the local school does maple syrup, and I know the guy who runs the program. When the saps starts flowing more and I see the glimmer of red I feed pollen patties and then put some supers on.

 

[psm1212]

I have this page bookmarked. https://www.usanpn.org/news/spring. I like watching it and seeing if it corresponds with what I am seeing in my area.

 

[Jim Braun]

psm1212
This is the page that prompted this tread. I also look at Pollen.com to see what's being reported.

 

[Michael Palmer]

Look out kids, B. Dylan Alex

....The pump don't work cause the vandals stole the handle.

 

[Jack Grimshaw]

Growing Degree Days can be a reliable indicator of plant flowering and insect activity.
https://u.osu.edu/beelab/phenology-for-beekeepers/

 

[Jim Fischer]

Growing Degree Days WERE an accurate method circa 2000, and remain so for greenhouse operations, (see http://bee-quick.com/reprints/budding.pdf for a primer) but climate change has made this tool far less useful, as one is not sure when the actual "winter freeze" happens in much of the country. Here in NYC, my rose bushes, although being 31 stories up, have yet to go dormant, and here it is Feb already. If you don't know when to start counting GDDs, and there is no hard freeze at all, you are in a climate similar to that of the Southern states, and the bees end up eating you out of house and home. Candyboards are a big help here.

 

[clyderoad]

No, No. GDD are still a reliable and useful method to predict blooms in the north except maybe for heat islands like NYC and other large paved over cities where it's difficult to tell if and when there was a hard frost or even what season it is. Cities seem like the exception rather than the rule regarding the usefulness of GDD.

I've consulted with the raspberries and they concur!

First pollen coming in yesterday, right in line with GDD expectations.

Hint: use a 32 degree base for beekeeping purposes and our
blooms and nectar flows.

 

[Jack Grimshaw]

Jim,glad to see you are alive and well and still awake.
I always thought that with your vast knowledge,you would develop a beekeeper subscription service that would track everything and send me an email when it was time to super up.

 

[Murdock]

I usually put on a honey super when I see the red maples break open, if the wx forecast is going to be good. Some open a little earlier if they have warmer conditions. Some are full bloom now but light snow is forecast for tomorrow. Next week cold & rain. Somehow those bugs can get out and bring in nectar when you wouldn't think it possible. I check those single supers every week and the wx. If the temps get warmer or nectar begins to show I add supers. They can make a lot of honey from red maple.

 

[Amibusiness]

Alex, we have yards with lots of black locust around. Last year I was driving south right before bloom. About an hour south they were in full bloom. I was excited. Ours never bloomed, I don't know why. Some years are like that....
For the record, around hear folks say black locust lasts exactly one year longer than stone. Make great posts.

 

[tycrnp]

I'm in the southeast, we have had such a mild winter. The bees are bringing in pollen and bearding. I added supers this past weekend.

 

[Murdock]

You need to check your brood boxes to make sure she has room to lay. If the girls have been working hard you may have to expand the brood areas. Move your nectar/honey frames up a box and put drawn comb or foundation next to the brood frames below.

 

[drummerboy]

You don’t need a weatherman to tell which way the wind blows

Could be wrong but I think its "to know" which way the wind blows

Besides, they get it wrong more often than not these days. Extreme temperature fluctuations have become the norm recently, above zero last week, below zero this week, forties by the weekend. Snow when none was predicted, can't plan anything based on a weather report.

Perhaps Bob should write another song?

 

[Jim Fischer]

I always thought that with your vast knowledge,you would develop a beekeeper subscription service that would track everything and send me an email when it was time to super up.

I already did that for FREE - "Super up as soon as your Nectar-Detector shows an increase in weight!
And "Harvest Early, Harvest Often" with some Bee-Quick [unforgivable blatant plugs, but anything for a joke]

 

[Jim Braun]

This is one of the things I like about beesource. I get new info all of the time. I didn't know about GDD before this thread. Or about Phenology! Lots more to find out about. In my bee club there is only empirical observation and I don't know about others here but CRS is becoming more of an issue. Any help is appreciated.

It's going to be quite a while before I could start a new business offering when to tell people to put on more supers as someone suggested. I've only been doing this for 8 years now and some times I still feel like a new bee.