Anybody taken any honey yet?

trevort · May 28, 2012

Gardenbees said:
I stopped adding syrup a few days ago, and the bees are just about breaking even - small amounts of honey stored, some comb being built, but another really wet week and they'd need feeding again. No hope of any honey for quite a while, and two hives are waiting for VQs to return, so no new brood. Plus, the remaining Queen isn't laying much either. So, whilst they're apparently healthy and with lots of bees, none of my colonies is going to be productive of anything for a good couple of weeks, I think.

My neighbour is in the same situation. I think I'll avoid taking any honey at all until much later in the season this year, given the weather wierdness. It seems unfair on the bees. Hopefully another Indian summer will help to fill the coffers in autumn...

I too stopped the syrup feeds about the same time. Had 1 hive swarm and clinging on to the outside of the hive with a cast nearby. The rain was on and blowing from the north east but got them both into hives. Still no sign of any laying from either of them, but the sun only came out here in Norfolk last Thursday/Friday! Don't expect any surplus this year. Polyhive in an orchard of cider apples but sealed QC's today (no eggs). Its only a week since I last looked, so QCs must have been started when i walked away!
In general reading various posts, swarms are on the go everywhere so its not just me. With my limited experience (3rd yr) it seems that even with the lousy weather bees don't stop preparing to swarm as mine proved on a very cold wet 7th May!
good luck all for the remainder of the year.

Elaine · May 28, 2012

I've already got more honey this year than I took all last year! Admitedly didn't get the bees until last May - but have been absolutely amazed at the speed they can fill a super (hence spent most of weekend building new supers and frames!)

oliver90owner · May 28, 2012

OK. The poly (MB 10 framer) needs a fourth super (third honey super), really. But it will be OK (I think, as it is currently queenless, and they tell me the weather is changing for the worse shortly) but will be reviewed..

The rest have improved considerably recently, but the OSR is now rapidly going over (after eight weeks!! - Never been so early, or so late for that matter!!). I will not be taking any great amount, if any, as the 'June gap' could so easily be upon us very shortly. I have fed nothing, but very close to doing so, on more than one occasion.

RAB

Baggyone · May 28, 2012

Our small beekeeping enterprise will have more honey next weekend than we ever have. Been an unbelievable week! Some hives have 6 supers filled plus some in the brood boxes.

Baggy

Queens59 · May 28, 2012

No - they are not sealing - just collecting more :sifone:

dclewis · May 29, 2012

OSR just finishing/finished here, so yesterday (bank holiday here for some) lifted the capped frames from 4 out of 5 hives with total take of 60kgs safely in buckets now. So will probably lift a little more next week end if there is anything further capped by then. Always amazed how the productivity varies so much from hive to hive within 1 apiary, from nothing capped on 1 hive to more than 20kgs capped from the best. Gives a major indicator as to which queen I shall be using to raise replacement queens for this year.