Busy bees yesterday

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aberreef

Field Bee
Joined
Apr 22, 2010
Messages
591
Reaction score
0
Location
Mid Glamorgan
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
5 hives + 3 nucs
I always enjoy watching my hives:D. Yesterday they were exceptionally busy though, both had bees zipping in and out like there is no tomorrow. They were bringing in pale cream pollen and presumably plenty of nectar:D. I couldn't see any powdered bees so don't think they are on balsam (I haven't seen much locally but tons 6+ miles away:toetap05:). Any ideas what they may be working at this time of yer?


I also saw a little skuffle at the entrance to the tbh. When I took a closer look it was a wasp getting the spanking of a lifetime:hurray:
 
Mine seem to be ignoring the balsam by the river so far so there must be something scrummier - there seems to be evening primrose ( those yellow ragged petticoats!) and some bright orange and pale yellow pollen - I was on moorland yesterday and there were so many bees working the heather which was in full flush in warm sun !

Floss
 
Was driving past an area I pass at leat 4 times a day this evening and happened to look through some trees to see about 1/4 acre of balsam:hurray:

There's a load of heather further up the mountain, about 2 miles away so they could be working that. They seem to be flying in the other direction though, although this is difficult to tell because they fly in circles oncethey leave the hives to get above the tree line:willy_nilly:
 
Have you all got supers on then? I thought we were all in the middle of treating wiht Apiguard/thymol for varroa????
 
Still to early to treat for varroa here in the south,
as the Bees are still collecting nectar.
Still honey in the Hive :)
 
Still honey in the hive? Mine have been busy building up so I'm hoping for a little bit from them. I tinkk we're about a month or so behind other parts of the country:cuss:
 
Mine have up to now largely ignored balsam: nearest is 1/2 mile away.. Only 2-3 bees collecting it could be seen in approx 5 minute interval.
Today - dreary grey and drizzling and about 20-30 bees all white in 2 minutes: maybe other sources now less attractive? There are around 2 acres of waste land # near sewage plant overrun with balsam... but that is 1/2 mile away. Nearer stuff is along stream bank and far less.

No guerilla planting needed here...

# and judging by the smell likely to remain waste!
 
What is a busy bee colony at this time of the year? For sure, my bees are zipping to and from their hives, but there are, I would guess, about 50% fewer foragers than in the spring. So, how busy is 'busy'.
 
They are both nucs from this year and not seen so much activity since having them. There's a cue to get in the hives and they are coming out like bullets:auto:

Today I noticed quite a few powdery bees so they must have found the balsam. Also came across a big patch of knotweed thats in flower.

While I was watching them today there was no traffic coming out of the hive but hundreds piling in. 5 minutes later the heavens opened. Natures very own weather girls:D
 
No idea what mine have found either, as there seems to be no HB - but the landing strip has gone from white to cream on their favourite side...And why do they love creeping in the right hand corner and ignoring the rest of the entrance??
 
I know what you mean. Mine all seem to try and cram in and out of the same hole
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I think it's lovely to see them do that - if you watch for a while you'll see they all take off on the one side of the entrance, and land and enter on the other - bit like a restaurant waiting "revolving door" set-up. They're so good at saving energy and being neat and orderly :)
 
I think it's lovely to see them do that - if you watch for a while you'll see they all take off on the one side of the entrance, and land and enter on the other - bit like a restaurant waiting "revolving door" set-up. They're so good at saving energy and being neat and orderly :)

When they are quiet it's nice and orderly. When there's a good flow on it's more like freebies at McD's :cuss:-get out the way
 
This month is the busiest I have seen either of my hives all year. first year and 2 hives, first in may, second a swarm in june. They are going bonkers at the mo. I dont know what they are bring in though, but very busy. We have no HB near me but lots of scrub
 

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