Bee's just not making a lot of honey

[bwallace23350]

We have had a dry spring for the most part and it was hotter than normal. My bees moved up into the honey super and are making honey but they are not filling it up fast. I have talked to other beeks in the area and they say the same thing. What is up with this?

[Groundhawg]

You stated the answer in your first line.  We have had a very dry and hot spring.  That along with the late freeze we had has really put our bees behind.  Our major flow here in S.E. 'Bama is mid-April to the end of May and sometimes a week or so into June.  Checked several hives today and looks like we have about half as much honey as we did last year.

[Sniper338]

Better than me.  I aint got any honey.

[Acebird]

Opposite here but same results.  Too wet and cold.  All the fruit trees flowered out nicely but the rain just beat them up.

[divemaster1963]

same here in ga. to warm them late long freeze killed blooms. making for two years of no harvest. hope they can get enough to make it thru the winter. hope its a cold one this time. to high loss rate this pass winter. eat everthing and then some then left. have alot nice drawn comb frames for new hives though.

john

[bwallace23350]

Well glad to see it is not just my bees.

[jtcmedic]

Well my Florida bees have been feeling the drought in my area. Had to start feeding cells we're empty and honey stores were low. Slow to build comb but have started up now with quart of 1:1 a day.

[BeeMaster2]

Here in NE FL, the gallberry is just starting to bloom. I just hope there is a good long flow despite the drought. The bees are working it and stopped working the planted clover in my yard. Keeping my fingers crossed. I have over a hundred commercial hives on top of me that my bees have to compete with.
Jim

[Acebird]

Well that could explain why you are getting all the swarms in your area.

[bwallace23350]

I am hoping that my late planted clover blooms out well for them and the chinese popcorn trees come through and allow me to harvest some honey this year.

[BeeMaster2]

Well that could explain why you are getting all the swarms in your area.

I am not getting swarms from the farm. All of them are from in Jax. The commercial Beeks usually split and re-queen their hives just before moving them here to minimize swarming. I am setting out swarm traps this week at the farm. As they fill up the hive, they sometimes throw out swarms. They put on 2 to 3 empty drawn supers on every hive after they arrive.
Jim

[bwallace23350]

I need to check again. A few weeks ago is when I last checked and there were bees up in the honey super they just were not making honey. I will update this thread next week after I check. I should also add they were having to draw frames out also.