How to tell when a flow is on?

bwallace23350 · July 07, 2016, 12:39:59 PM

Just how to tell. I know it is not on now but what signs to look for.

BeeMaster2 · July 07, 2016, 01:17:24 PM

Your bees will bee coming and going in large numbers. If you stand right in front of the hive, large numbers of bees will build up behind you.
Bees will ignore sugar water and honey.
When you open the hive, the bees are too busy to pay any attention to you, if you are being gentle.

During a dearth, the bees will all bee lined up bee to bee looking at you from between the frames, basically blocking out any robbers. They are also very grumpy.
Jim

bwallace23350 · July 07, 2016, 01:45:09 PM

THanks

GSF · July 07, 2016, 02:02:41 PM

Blooms and reading Beemaster. Watch for it this fall. The northern beeks will be talking about goldenrod blooming about 3 weeks m/l before it blooms down here. Next spring it'll start down south and slowly move up through us. It'd be good if we could get some of the Dothan beeks in here.

bwallace23350 · July 07, 2016, 02:42:50 PM

That sounds like a plan. I would hope to pull some honey this year but I just want them to survive the winter.

gww · July 07, 2016, 06:52:12 PM

Being first year bee keeper I have a really hard time telling if things are coming into the hive. Being first year, I watch the entrance more then I probly will later when I know a bit more. I try to tell by traffic but traffic can change from hour to hour and hive to hive. It rained hard for half a day and I went out to the hive and the traffic was unbelievable. I could also see the bees loaded with orange pollen.

I walk around and see the bees are working the pumpkin and zenias. They hardly ever touch the zenias. I don't know if working the zenias means there is nothing else or what.

Last night I watched them and the traffic was steady at a couple of bees moving all the time but not in big bunches.

I have been feeding a pint a day and would quit if I thought there was enough for them to still build comb on. They love my smoker and come to it when I light it 50 yards away. I don't know if it is cause they associate it with food or because they look at it like an enemy.

I see certain hives coming and going alot harder then the other ones but the next day it will switch. The big hive has double or triple the bees of the small hives but lots of times the small hive match or beat the traffic into and out of the hives. Like I said, today was really heavy traffic and I did see pollen. What I don't know is if something new bloomed that will last a couple days or weeks or if they are just making up time due to the rain.

I do wish I did know though or know more how to tell.
Thanks
gww

Oblio13 · July 07, 2016, 07:36:37 PM

Quote from: gww on July 07, 2016, 06:52:12 PM
... Being first year, I watch the entrance ...

You can make pretty educated guesses about what's going on inside by watching the entrance. Do they look like overloaded helicopters struggling to land? Are they hovering right in front facing the hive? Are they in full production of drones? Is the overall population waxing or waning? I call it "Bee TV".

gww · July 07, 2016, 08:15:13 PM

Oblio

QuoteDo they look like overloaded helicopters struggling to land?

I haven't seen much of this all year long, I should see it now with all the water they are gethering due to heat as much as due to food.

My reason for the responce is.

QuoteAre they hovering right in front facing the hive?

Are there other meanings for this then the ones I can think of?
Oreintation
Robbing
Fanning due to heat
waiting in line to enter.

Did I get them all or could I be missing one?
Thanks
gww

Nugget Shooter · July 07, 2016, 09:40:00 PM

Reading the pull out bottom on a SBB once or twice has really helped this new bee understand what is going on in the hive. Can see actual separation on debris from each frame and notice wax from building comb, wax from uncapping, bits of pollen, bee parts, mites (hopefully not), wax worms and poo.... The list goes on. Cool tool and when used in conjunction with "bee watching" a feller can have a good idea what is going on inside.

Just me....

PhilK · July 07, 2016, 10:23:12 PM

Quote from: Oblio13 on July 07, 2016, 07:36:37 PM
You can make pretty educated guesses about what's going on inside by watching the entrance. Do they look like overloaded helicopters struggling to land? Are they hovering right in front facing the hive? Are they in full production of drones? Is the overall population waxing or waning? I call it "Bee TV".

What do these things indicate?

Oblio13 · July 07, 2016, 11:03:56 PM

Quote from: PhilK on July 07, 2016, 10:23:12 PM
Quote from: Oblio13 on July 07, 2016, 07:36:37 PM
You can make pretty educated guesses about what's going on inside by watching the entrance. Do they look like overloaded helicopters struggling to land? Are they hovering right in front facing the hive? Are they in full production of drones? Is the overall population waxing or waning? I call it "Bee TV".
What do these things indicate?

Their honey tanks are full/ they're new bees orienting/ swarm season has arrived/ everything's fine or something's wrong.