i am a second year beekeeper and i know that there is a time of the year (or 2) when there is a nectar flow. but the rest of the year is nectar available? is there always some to be found?
I'd say that depends on where you live. I live in central Georgia, and I'm sure there's nectar to be found because we have flowers blooming all winter long. You and I are almost at the exact same level going south, so you may have flowers blooming too all year. Also depending on what's planted around you. :)
But I really doubt that much of the northern area gets nectar during the winter months.
Beth
Let us expand a little.
Do ALL flowers produce nectar?
Do bees collect nectar from all flowers?
i dont think all flowers produce nectar...
Bees do not collect nectar from all flower sources. There are only about 300 nectar sources in the US that honeybees collect. Some of this has to do with the taste or acceptance of the nectar and also has to do with where the nectaries are located on the flower. The nectaries are located where it is too hard or it's impossible to get for a honeybee. On these plants, you will see bumblebees getting the nectar because the bumble has a longer tongue (probosis) that a honeybee.
Also the weather has to be right, some plants though in bloom do not produce the nectar, becuase it's not warm enough to flow. There has to be a right balance of temperature and moisture in the soil for the plant to produce nectar. It can be too hot to produce nectar too.