can i tell if theres nectar coming in?

[biglongdarren]

is there anyway i can tell by just watching the bees flying into the hive if they are bringing in nectar,is it as simple as most bees that are coming in from big distanes and not doing orientation flights and that have no pollen are bringing in nectar??

 

[tonybloke]

is there anyway i can tell by just watching the bees flying into the hive if they are bringing in nectar,is it as simple as most bees that are coming in from big distanes and not doing orientation flights and that have no pollen are bringing in nectar??

the best way to tell is by listening to the hive in the evening

 

[For want of a better word]

the best way to tell is by listening to the hive in the evening

What song do they hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

 

[tonybloke]

What song do they hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

My hives sound like an air-conditioning plant in the evening when there's a flow on

 

[susbees]

The loudest hummmm this evening were hoardes of queen bumbles in the plum trees a couple of hours after the sweet lil honey bees had gone to bed! Industrious???

 

[Mike a]

is there anyway i can tell by just watching the bees flying into the hive if they are bringing in nectar,is it as simple as most bees that are coming in from big distanes and not doing orientation flights and that have no pollen are bringing in nectar??

This is easier to spot I found if you have a landing board but if you watch very carefully you may see the odd bee almost crash land near the entrance with a bit of a ungraceful thud compared against the other foragers as if her forward momentum is to great and she cant slow down quickly enough.

 

[biglongdarren]

must listen tomorrow evening,is it a fanning noise or what should i be hearing,and if its warm enough at night would bees be up drawing comb 24/7?
Darren.

 

[biglongdarren]

i have a landing board,i seen the odd bee come in the other day and land and flip on her back if thats anything to go by?

 

[MrB]

i have a landing board,i seen the odd bee come in the other day and land and flip on her back if thats anything to go by?

means she is not ready for her pilots licence yet!

 

[Mike a]

means she is not ready for her pilots licence yet!

She has a pilots licence, but not her HGV licence.

 

[MJBee]

means she is not ready for her pilots licence yet!

Classic error - failed pre-landing checks " undercarriage wheel brakes OFF" She obviously landed with the brakes on and did a quick base over apex

 

[rae]

The "evening hum" is a sure sign that they are evaporating nectar. It does really sound like an air con unit at full chat. The hives also smell of honey, you can pick it up 40 yards away downwind.