Desperate shout out for help

OzBuzz · October 30, 2012, 12:43:40 AM

Hi Folks, the joys of beekeeping! I've got a desperate shout out for help! I need to know some areas in Victoria where something, anything, is flowering at the moment... my and a colleagues hives are suffering pretty badly with this cold/warm weather and the cape weed in the area that we had our hives in seems to have vaporised in to thin air! I'm desperate for some assistance - I'm looking for anything - late flowering canola, eucalypt, anything that will give them some food... populations have dropped badly and it's not looking good. We're going to put patties on to supplement in the short term but we'd love to move the hives on to something rather than do that if we can... I wouldn't normally come on here and plead for assistance like this but sometimes you just have to ask for help!

prestonpaul · October 30, 2012, 01:52:40 AM

How many hives are we talking about Oz?
Capeweed and buttercup are still going strong at our place in the Otways but not sure how much longer for and if that would be enough for your needs?
Paul.

OzBuzz · October 30, 2012, 02:05:57 AM

G'day Mate, we're talking about 50 hives...

prestonpaul · October 30, 2012, 02:44:04 AM

That's a lot of hives! Don't know if what we have will support that many, our hives are only just starting to pick up after a tough winter. There are no eucalypts flowering at the moment, only cape weed and buttercup, and the clover is just starting to come on. I'll be up there on the weekend, I'll take some photos to post here or I guess you could come for a look your self if that helps.
Paul.

squidink · October 30, 2012, 07:07:54 AM

I can really can't help mate as the hives I have at glen Waverley are on top of my works roof! I have 10 hives which includes a few nucs. But! There is heaps of grey box eucalyptus flowering in the area and my bees are pulling in the nectar. So if you can be on the look out for grey box. Not much of a help but it might be a lead.. Ben

squidink · October 31, 2012, 08:06:05 AM

It's only been a day and a bit but any luck mate?

Ben

OzBuzz · November 02, 2012, 12:28:14 AM

Hey Guys, my apologies for not getting back to you all - I really appreciate your thoughts and input! good news! I was able to find a farmer who has a crop of canola that is a late flowerer - the crop itself is starting to finish up but there's still about 100 acres of flowers and, with this cooler weather and a little rain, there's possibly going to be another slight flush of flowers. So all of my hives are sitting on that at the moment and, hopefully, enjoying it! It's probably only got two weeks left in it but it buys me a little time to find something else to move them to after that's finished... so now the homework begins :) thanks again everybody!

Lone · November 02, 2012, 07:19:37 AM

Great, Oz, you know I would have helped out if I could.
How did your hives go in the citrus enclosure?

Lone

prestonpaul · November 02, 2012, 09:34:04 AM

Good to hear you found something :-D

WABEE · November 17, 2012, 10:37:30 PM

Garden vac it is then bye bye bees thanks for the non existent advice.