What's flowering: Queensland

[Bee North]

The bloodwood has been in flower up here for a few weeks now.

Yes... lots of rain making management hard.

Managed to get out the other day to find a few hives had swarmed, some we planning too and there was one in a tree which fortunately I managed to get!

[Lesgold]

Do the bees generally swarm that late up north? Our bloodwoods are just showing signs of flowering.

[Bee North]

Hi Les

Yes mate that's "normal" for up here.

They dont start slowing down until after March.

The wet season provides ideal conditions for bee raising as there is always plenty of pollen from various sources and nectar coming in. It's hard to take honey off as the weather prevents inspections and capping off honey takes time due to high moisture content. It's still very warm and we dont really have a winter. Throw into the mix periods of heavy rain which causes overcrowding/overheating and this seems to trigger them. As soon as the weather clears off they go, usually the same day you can conduct your inspections!

The bees that are swarming at the moment I took nucs from 8 weeks ago!

We dont have a swarm season up here only a swarming break! Keeps me busy most of the year.

[Lesgold]

This year you may have sent some of your wet weather down to us. I haven?t been able to get into the bees for about 3 weeks due to wind and rain. Today was the first chance I?ve had. Looks like I?m in for more work. The supers are full and capped. I thought retirement was supposed to be easy.

[Bee North]

Come on Les....you love it!! 

[Lesgold]

Are you saying the weather, the bees, the work or retirement. Lol

[max2]

OK - I think I know now why the bees in one yard are doing so well and in the other they have slowed down!

White Mahogeny and Iron bark!
I had one customer and he said " Tastes like ironbark" - looks like you are right, mate.

Both trees would be at their tail end of flowering now.
We could be in for a slow few weeks with not much flowering and showery weather.
I had some old frames i cut the wax foundation out and , having a bit of time, decided to melt the foundation to recover the wax.
A waste of time.
I have a great wax melter but the amount of wax I got out of the frames was not worth the time or electricty. The little wax I did recover will need more processing.
What is the experience other beekeeprs have with recovering old foundations?

[max2]

A bit of a break in the showery weather and I had a quick look at a couple of nuc's I still have in the yard.

One lost a queen and I'm not sure if it is worthwhile to give them resources ... as in a couple of frames with eggs or young larvae? Not sure if they would make a queen, a time issue.

One is doing OK but could do with a bit of sun, may need to feed it along for a week. Plenty of brood and it will hatch and will use resources for a while.

The last one is nice and strong but could do with some sun and flying weather too but it is ready to go.

I hope this is a break in the season not the end of it....

[loisl58]

We have had beekeeper unfriendly weather here in Loch Lomond QLD. My 2nd year beekeeping. Capped honey frames this year 8 last year 14 by same time of year. Box flowering now lots of nectar few fully capped frames. The honey is quite dark and the new wax is yellow.  What a learning experience I got myself into. Exciting too.

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[Bee North]

Hi loisl58....welcome!

Yes it's been very wet down your way. Usually it's me complaining about too much rain this time of the year.

The girls will get it dry and capped at some stage once the weather clears.

My supers are all full up here. We have had a strong flow on the bloodwood. I have been taking honey off once its 100% capped... otherwise it's too wet.

Problem is space. If I had the hardware I would be adding more supers.

It's been a very different season for me up here too. A very very slow start this year, however they are making up for it now!

All that rain your getting may suggest a bumper autum
..and or a strong spring flow next year!!

[loisl58]

Yes agree totally re autumn.  Been 10 or 11 years since we had this sort of rain. I set my first european bee hive up in March 2020, 2nd hive 2022. Had Natives since Feb 2019, just left them in their log.
Thought I was failing as I got anxious when setting up to check bees.
Then the other day saw a UTube interview with Daniel from BeeWeaver Bees. He said it is normal to feel nervous, excited, concerned etc and eventually as skillset improves working bees becomes like a meditation.
I am looking forward to that time, so will keep learning.

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[Bee North]

Yes that's "normal" and yes you will definitely relax more over time.
Enjoy the journey and let us know what Autumn brings!

[max2]

We had a bit of rain - about 600mm ( about 2 feet) Others had a lot more.

All our river fencing is all damaged. It will take a while to fix this.
The cattle are OK, no damage to any houses in our little village.

Others have not been so lucky with lives lost and property too.

I have friends who have lost hives.

I have not been able to access one yard but I'm told they are OK. It will be interesting to see.

I'm told that one of the local beekeepers was seen with a trolley load of white sugar...

I lost one hive but the rest seems insane busy.

One interesting obseravtion...

Last time I checked the bees I was surprised by the few drones in the brood.

I wonder if the blighters knew what was coming?

[Bee North]

Hi Max

Thanks for letting us know your ok.

I have a lot of family in Brisbane.

All are ok including their houses. As you know a lot of people havnt fared so well.

My brother has taken in an entire family. Their house was flooded up to the second level...hes a champion!

[max2]

Yes, a lot of people are very badly affected and it will take a long time before things are back to "Normal".

I did a food drop last night for a mate who is still flood bound.

We had a heavy storm ( actually " storms") during the night and bridge is under again.

I had the car readdy and loaded to go an mow the yard and check on the bees....another day.

More storms predicted for today.

[Bee North]

Thats no good mate...
hopefully it clears for you soon!

[max2]

More storms  are predicted...but the SUN is out at the moment and the Rain Trees are flowering.
The bees will love this.

[loisl58]

Yes, a lot of people are very badly affected and it will take a long time before things are back to "Normal".

I did a food drop last night for a mate who is still flood bound.

We had a heavy storm ( actually " storms") during the night and bridge is under again.

I had the car readdy and loaded to go an mow the yard and check on the bees....another day.

More storms predicted for today.

Here in Loch Lomond QLD We have been getting the odd shower with some heavy rain. Bees are out on Callistemons, which have been putting new flowers after each few days of rain. Some trees really buzzing. Thankfully have had 1 or 2 clear days between rainy weather.

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[max2]

We must have been driving past Loch Lomond on the way back from Yamba.

We had lunch at a nice little place at Killarney.

I like the drive on the back roads.
If I remember correctly they did a fair bit of work on that road.
We get on to the main road at Warwick.

Looks good bee country and I have seen some nice hives in the area - maybe your hives?

[loisl58]

We are off the main road so they would not be mine. Yes seems to be good bee country. SHB likes the climate too. Killarney is  a lovely town. I do most of my shopping there. Friendly people.

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