are we short of forage

[Hivemaker.]

There is a lot of very heavy dew at the crack of dawn.

There is a lot of moisture around the crack of dawn here as well.

 

[Beecat]

There is a lot of moisture around the crack of dawn here as well.

You know, there are some conversations you just should not drop into the middle of.

 

[peteinwilts]

Grazing/hay sainfoin and lucerne grown on thin chalk soils are v drought resistant, if I remember from Agri courses at Reading Uni in the '70s. Is there any growing in pastures near you in Wilts?

There are. The local landowners have also been planting many dozens of acres of wildflowers. One landowner planted a field in front of my bees because my bees were there!
The taller plants are looking sorry for themselves, but the shorter plants are looking as if they are thriving. I am sure they have done their homework regarding which species/mix to plant. The fields are alive with butterflys, bumbles and honeybees.
An interesting curiosity is many of my hives have an inch thick layer of many different species of ladybirds under the lip of my hives in winter. I do not get this on any of my other sites.

 

[SDM]

A picture paints a thousand words satellite images from May and Now.

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[buzz]

Maybe a more informative set of comparative satellite pictures would be to show July 2017 and July 2018 shots. Everything is green in May, but that doesnt sell newspapers!

 

[SDM]

Maybe a more informative set of comparative satellite pictures would be to show July 2017 and July 2018 shots. Everything is green in May, but that doesnt sell newspapers!

Sceptic !
July 2016

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[beebopper]

Its like the Sahara dessert here - so hot and dry. Never experience anything as long hot and dry.
Forage almost over.

 

[simonforeman]

Yes its raining...

It's now RAINING in South lincs for the first time in about 8 weeks...

Don't think it will last long but I'm hoping for all night then nice again tomorrow.....

Have a field of sunflowers in range of the bees should be out in the next week and the gladioli fields next to the hives some are coming out and the farmer is not picking yet.....

 

[Hachi]

Raining here in the south on and off lets hope for lots overnight

 

[Helen]

Had a little bit of rain just now. Well, rain is over-exaggerating it. A very small number of tiny raindrops. Almost nothing. Didn't even wet the ground - probably wouldn't have noticed it at all apart from I happened to wander outside for a sec.

Haven't had rain since beginning of April. Grass is now 'crunchy' and even smells burnt when you walk on it. Some trees are dead, or look dead. Often see firefighters in the fields and heath tackling fires. And everything is so dusty now. Would appreciate some real rain over here.... even once ....

 

[simonforeman]

Radio 5 live this morning states it the driest start to a summer since records began in 1961.....
Also met office confirmed there’s no end in sight for the warm dry weather.....

 

[beebopper]

Raining here in the south on and off lets hope for lots overnight

Only a tiny shower here. Nothing else forcasted for a week.

 

[enrico]

New housing estate near Taunton. Planted a thousand trees, all dead!!!!!!!
E

 

[Zante]

New housing estate near Taunton. Planted a thousand trees, all dead!!!!!!!
E

Were they ever watered?

 

[Zante]

Bramble has been over for a while here, and the same goes for clematis and sweet chestnut. There are some field flowers hanging on in the sun, but not much.
Driving to the apiary I spotted alfalfa in bloom, but I don't think there's any in range. Same goes for sunflowers.

My remaining production hive isn't eating through its stores, but it's not adding to them either, which I suppose it means it's finding enough to eat, but not enough to store. I expect at this time of the year it's going to be whatever field flowers they can find, but mainly trees, with honeydew being a substantial part.
For padding this year's crop I'm hoping for the later flow, from mid-august onwards.

 

[Popparand]

Had a little bit of rain just now. Well, rain is over-exaggerating it. A very small number of tiny raindrops. Almost nothing. Didn't even wet the ground - probably wouldn't have noticed it at all apart from I happened to wander outside for a sec.

Haven't had rain since beginning of April. Grass is now 'crunchy' and even smells burnt when you walk on it. Some trees are dead, or look dead. Often see firefighters in the fields and heath tackling fires. And everything is so dusty now. Would appreciate some real rain over here.... even once ....

Hi Helen. You complaining? In South Suffolk we haven't seen even one drop since April! Girls still busy but nowhere near the flow we had over the last month. Over the last week we've had a lot thicker cloud, but it comes and goes without leaving a trace.

If it was like this in '61 you can't blame global warming - but I sure wish we could have some rain.

 

[Beefriendly]

- but I sure wish we could have some rain.

Rain about mid September will do. Heather harvest to collect. Don't want bees confined to HQ and eating all their previously gathered nectar.

 

[Popparand]

Minister of drought

Back in 1976 it was so bad they appointed a Minister of Drought. Week following it started to rain, and rain, and rain so they gave him a new job - Minister of Floods.

All true. His name was Dennis Howell. In '78 they made him Minister of Snow.

No candidates come to mind for the moment - no wets left.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Back in 1976 it was so bad they appointed a Minister of Drought. Week following it started to rain, and rain, and rain so they gave him a new job - Minister of Floods.

All true. His name was Dennis Howell. In '78 they made him Minister of Snow.

No candidates come to mind for the moment - no wets left.

Put Hammond in charge of weather. He's not much use as Chancellor.

 

[Helen]

Haven't had rain since beginning of April....

Hi Helen. You complaining? In South Suffolk we haven't seen even one drop since April!

Yup. Start of April. Am also in South Suffolk.