“Indian” Summer next week?

[Karol]

Just inspected all mine at the 'balsam' apiary, tons of nectar being stored in the brood boxes but not so much being put in the supers.Most of the supers' center 6 frames are pretty full but the outside frames are mostly empty. The best thing about the balsam is it keeps all the wasps occupied,didn't see any around the apiary.

Those wasps will go somewhere once the Balsam finishes.

 

[pargyle]

I was going to take mine off this weekend - there's a fair amount that's not capped and they are still bringing nectar in so, as the forecast for this week is going to be an indian summer I'm leaving it till next weekend (It's less convenient but it might give them a bit of time to finish filling and cap the cells). Still plenty of time to build them up for winter down here on the South Coast. Even when it's been grim weather its not been cold.

Made the right choice - all colonies have been going mad yesterday and today .. terrific scent of ripening nectar in the apiart tonight ...

 

[Poly Hive]

I took my last supers off today. Final insult from the worst season ever, one frame of extractable honey from 6 supers. ONE.

Pissed off PH

 

[Sutty]

By contrast I've had a good year, though more hives than last year. Extracted for 2nd time a few days ago, now away for about 3 weeks and will have to take remaining supers off plus some deeps full of stores when I unite on my return.

 

[pargyle]

I took my last supers off today. Final insult from the worst season ever, one frame of extractable honey from 6 supers. ONE.

Pissed off PH

It's not been great down here - I'll know for sure next weekend, I hope I've done better than you have though ! Not good ... I think it's been such a year of weird mixed weather - when there was forage the bees could not get out .. when it was foraging weather there was little to forage on. It also depends on where you are as well ... Shropshire and West Wales seem have bucked the trend but most of what I'm hearing is that, at best, it's a very moderate year - certainly no records broken.

 

[Poly Hive]

It kicked me every turn. Spring... *hollow laugh* Cold and wet for weeks and weeks. Bees refused to expand. Then the heatwave for two weeks and everything burnt off. Then "summer" *cry of despair* rain and rain and lets not forget the cloud bursts. The tattie planting crew had to abandon one afternoon as the dreels flooded. The dreels are what two feet high if not more and the field flooded!!! I took off from the heat wave pre everything drying off about 50 pounds from ten colonies. and now another 15 if I am lucky from the last fourteen supers. ARGH. Queen rearing gave zero success. Too cold and wet. Managed to create three nucs and one is a drone layer. am I thinking is it actually worth it? Yes.

PH

 

[Sutty]

It kicked me every turn. Spring... *hollow laugh* Cold and wet for weeks and weeks. Bees refused to expand. Then the heatwave for two weeks and everything burnt off. Then "summer" *cry of despair* rain and rain and lets not forget the cloud bursts. The tattie planting crew had to abandon one afternoon as the dreels flooded. The dreels are what two feet high if not more and the field flooded!!! I took off from the heat wave pre everything drying off about 50 pounds from ten colonies. and now another 15 if I am lucky from the last fourteen supers. ARGH. Queen rearing gave zero success. Too cold and wet. Managed to create three nucs and one is a drone layer. am I thinking is it actually worth it? Yes.

PH

Could all be the other way around next time, and a bumper year!

 

[Murox]

It kicked me every turn. Spring... *hollow laugh* Cold and wet for weeks and weeks. Bees refused to expand. Then the heatwave for two weeks and everything burnt off. Then "summer" *cry of despair* rain and rain and lets not forget the cloud bursts. The tattie planting crew had to abandon one afternoon as the dreels flooded. The dreels are what two feet high if not more and the field flooded!!! I took off from the heat wave pre everything drying off about 50 pounds from ten colonies. and now another 15 if I am lucky from the last fourteen supers. ARGH. Queen rearing gave zero success. Too cold and wet. Managed to create three nucs and one is a drone layer. am I thinking is it actually worth it? Yes.

PH

Yes its been bad. Over here spring was reasonably good and the wet and hot stuff was more limited. I had planned on a little queen rearing too, but as you said too cold , wet and windy, more like Autumn really. Certainly this last couple of months has seen 3 or 4 seasons each week and I actually noticed some vertical rain which was a novelty.

 

[Sutty]

It kicked me every turn. Spring... *hollow laugh* Cold and wet for weeks and weeks. Bees refused to expand. Then the heatwave for two weeks and everything burnt off. Then "summer" *cry of despair* rain and rain and lets not forget the cloud bursts. The tattie planting crew had to abandon one afternoon as the dreels flooded. The dreels are what two feet high if not more and the field flooded!!! I took off from the heat wave pre everything drying off about 50 pounds from ten colonies. and now another 15 if I am lucky from the last fourteen supers. ARGH. Queen rearing gave zero success. Too cold and wet. Managed to create three nucs and one is a drone layer. am I thinking is it actually worth it? Yes.

PH

And of course I'm grateful to you for soaking up so much of the finite supply of beekeeping bad luck - thereby making it less likely I get any!