At 8:32 in the evening I just put on a box on each of my three hives in shorts. NO flying around or buzzing me. There were as gentile as they have ever been.
For two weeks now we have had weather that is not typical for us. It is hot and muggy from the morning to about 4:00PM. Then the skies open up and it is like a lake falling out of the sky. Very little thunder and lightning. With this kind of heat and humidity I would expect tornadoes. Yeah, there has been some tree pruning here and there but not the violent storms I would expect. The bees are just packing in honey. Maybe that is why they are so contented because the nectar is so plentiful.
I don't know why but it is all good in Upstate NY.
Totally jealous. I'm up to 6 colonies this year, so I'm not complaining, but we're ending the flow and the bees are a little pissy these days. Just got them ready this morning to start feeding in the next day or so.
Ace
Since we have had a couple of rains, the hives are buzzing at the entrance. It looks like good forage but I checked under the hood of one today to check space and it doesn't seem like they are still building much comb but it does look like they are not emptying what they have stored. I am guessing enough forage to at least get by and not be in a dirth.
gww
Quote from: Rurification on July 16, 2016, 03:40:38 PM
Totally jealous.
I feel bad for those that have to deal with summer dearths. You get excited when nectar comes in and then it stops and the bees chew through their stores. And then what? You are staring winter in the face. I hope you have a fall flow that pays for your efforts.
Good luck
I am lucky to be surrounded by acres of goldenrod fields and hundreds of acres of aster-filled woods. The fall flow should be OK as long as we keep getting rain.
I just wish my bees were more generous and make ME a couple of supers of honey. I haven't had a honey harvest in years.