Lots of flowers, but where is the Nectar? PDF Print E-mail
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Written by Harry Smits   
Friday, 28 May 2010 17:21

Like the sailor adrift at sea, water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink. Yes,we have flowers, but it is too cool for the flower to produce nectar unless you still have dandelions and when it is warm enough for nectar then it is raining and the bees can’t fly. What’s a beekeeper to do?

Check the hives for weight and if light feed, feed, feed. This is an unusual spring; we are in the middle of swarm season, but not enough food for a proper bee buildup. I have heard of several hives starving to death. If feeding. they are building and drawing comb… give lots of room to prevent the swarming instinct from kicking in, but keep feeding. If we continue with a cool and wet June the bees will have a hard time building. Prevent them from shutting down brood laying by feeding and hopefully we will be ready in bee strength when the honey flow starts.

 

Like the sailor adrift at sea, water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink. Yes,

we have flowers, but it is too cool for the flower to produce nectar unless you still have

dandelions and when it is warm enough for nectar then it is raining and the bees can’t fly. What’s a beekeeper to do?

 

Check the hives for weight and if light feed, feed, feed. This is an unusual spring; we are in the middle of swarm season, but not enough food for a proper bee buildup. I have heard of several hives starving to death. If feeding. they are building and drawing comb… give lots of room to prevent the swarming instinct from kicking in, but keep feeding. If we continue with a cool and wet June the bees will have a hard time building. Prevent them from shutting down brood laying by feeding and hopefully we will be ready in bee strength when the honey flow starts.

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