I was mowing my neighbor's lawn and this is what I found my bees at work :-D
http://picasaweb.google.com/irwin453/019?authkey=Gv1sRgCLvL9Med9ObE4gE#
Nice...blackberries?
irwin, what is the yellow?
Quote from: Irwin on June 28, 2009, 05:19:51 PM
I was mowing my neighbor's lawn and this is what I found my bees at work :-D
Wish you were my neighbor.
Steve
Quote from: kathyp on June 28, 2009, 10:02:29 PM
irwin, what is the yellow?
I don't know just a weed.
nice pics. I missed the blackberry flow, with the hives being nucs in buildup mode. I'm already hoping I can catch it as a monofloral next year. It grows wild all over the place here.
Quote from: Irwin on June 28, 2009, 10:46:34 PM
Quote from: kathyp on June 28, 2009, 10:02:29 PM
irwin, what is the yellow?
I don't know just a weed.
birdsfoot trefoil. my bees are working that (in addition to blackberry, etc.,) right now as well.
(http://i41.tinypic.com/34sflfn.jpg)
Thank's Dane :) Where you been.
Quote from: Irwin on June 30, 2009, 09:36:00 AM
Thank's Dane :) Where you been.
YW :) - I been buried under a big... pile... of... WORK. :-P (wish I had more time for photos, etc.,)
hey dane. was wondering where you'd gone also. thanks for the ID. guess i don't have any.
Hi Kathy,
I was thinking about you over there & wondering how your season has been progressing. Severe Winter (record cold) and a wildly fluctuating Spring (cold, then hot, then rainy & cold) seemed to delay, cook & then wash off a lot of the good early flow (maple, cherry, apple, pear, etc.,) here. Lots of swarms about. Strange season so far... delayed a bit (I also did splits) but the blackberry is & has been rocking. The weather had been mostly conducive for that and I am looking forward to some harvest soon. Forecast is for more "cook-off" weather later this week though: bone dry & 90°F+'s!, which might bring an end to the blackberry flow... probably will. :roll: Nights are forecast to be cool at least. 8-)
I hope you get an awesome surplus/harvest this year. Maybe those May rains were kind to you?
Oh, & the trefoil is a good nectar producer and also good forage (http://www.outsidepride.com/catalog/Birdsfoot-Trefoil-Legume-Seed-p-17408.html) (ruminant grazing legume).
Cheers,
Dane
hasn't been bad. much better than last year. early build up was good and late spring flow has been strong. if i could keep the swallows from eating so many bees, all would be great. sounds like we were a little more moderate than you.
not sure how i'll do yet. keeping my fingers crossed. any excess would be a +. the last two years have been sad.
expect to see picks of your honey again this year!!
That's great news Kathy! I'm keeping my finger's crossed here too. So far I'm 0/2 on the June & July harvests. June is the rarest one... has to be mild Winter and early Spring for me to catch any surplus from the maple, berries & fruit trees. July (Blackberry) has been awesome with a surplus every year thus far. Not this time :'( though they've packed their brood chambers well and the purple loosestrife is coming in right on schedule as the blackberry finishes out. Loads of clover, birdsfoot trefoil & then jasmine, mints, herbs, etc., and all the summer bloomers will hopefully produce. Who knows.. maybe there will be a nice fall with some late harvest action.
How's your season going Irwin?
I'm gonna go cry in a jar of last year's honey. ;)
Cheers,
Dane