Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: David LaFerney on August 17, 2009, 11:11:29 PM

Title: Doesn't goldenrod produce nectar?
Post by: David LaFerney on August 17, 2009, 11:11:29 PM
Our goldenrod started blooming about a week ago, and I can see my bees all over it.  They are flying in and out like fiends so I figured they would be putting away some honey.  When I did an inspection today I found this:

(http://doorgarden.com/images/critters/bee-pictures/foundationless-honey-frame.JPG)

Nice eh?  Unfortunately that one frame is almost all that I did find - maybe two or three more frames of honey scattered in pockets through the 3 8 frame mediums.  I think there might actually be less honey in the hive than there was 10 days ago.  That one frame is new since then though.  I'm sure that they have used some of the honey that they had. 

There's finally lots of bees (new package from May 10) and they have plenty of drawn comb to store in.  The golden rod is just getting going and there is lots and lots that hasn't opened yet. 

So are they going to store any honey or should I start feeding now?
Title: Re: Doesn't goldenrod produce nectar?
Post by: iddee on August 17, 2009, 11:19:30 PM
Goldenrod is unpredictable. It may produce a super or more, or it may produce less than they eat. You can't depend on it.
Title: Re: Doesn't goldenrod produce nectar?
Post by: David LaFerney on August 17, 2009, 11:26:43 PM
Quote from: iddee on August 17, 2009, 11:19:30 PM
Goldenrod is unpredictable. It may produce a super or more, or it may produce less than they eat. You can't depend on it.

I don't know exactly where Randleman is, but we're almost neighbors.  Do you usually expect much flow after this date?
Title: Re: Doesn't goldenrod produce nectar?
Post by: iddee on August 18, 2009, 09:24:25 AM
Greensboro.....I-40....

I don't get enough to feed them after now. There supplies will dwindle from now til March.