Cold spell inbound.

[pargyle]

Or a colony escaping a Varroa laden hive after sealing a load of drone cells?

It's a possibility ....

 

[BugsInABox]

Just to be clear I was only responding to other posts dismissing the decline in solar activity with global warming arguments.

No you weren’t! You took the opportunity to disparage conventional science and make remarks on the relative merits of CO2 as a cause of global warming. Look...

Makes me smile all this climate computer modelled voodoo science.

...

And what makes this all the more laughable is that CO2 is actually a cooling gas.

Why have CO2 emissions become such a big thing? Because climate science coming out of universities is funded by lithium ion battery manufacturers.

Bees can't make honey out of lithium hexafluorophosphate.

and only when this was challenged started to mention the OP.

 

[Ian123]

I read on FB that someone picked one up about a week ago down Dorset way!

I’ve seen the odd 1 in March before and had at least 1 of mine try over the years. If you do a search on the forum there’s also some reported in March/first week in April. I think a couple of years ago muswell metro reported 1 about the 24th of March going down tooting high street. Obviously years/seasons are different. I’ve certainly collected or had plenty of bait hives occupied in April before. In my area there’s a definite early flush in April before the normal May and June swarms and a few in the early half of July. Once the main flow starts to end and with me that’s the chestnut it’s all but over. As to the cause of the early ones I think most are honey nectar bound. With good weather they simply pack in around the brood nest and the queens restricted. Ian

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

As to the cause of the early ones I think most are honey nectar bound.

'Stimulative feeding' just because 'the book' says so

 

[Ian123]

'Stimulative feeding' just because 'the book' says so

Probably in some cases but we do and can get some decent amounts of nectar from cherry blackthorns maple dandelion. If weather permits and they’re not consuming it all. last year was fantastic early on but disappointed during the summer.

 

[Repwoc]

last year was fantastic early on but disappointed during the summer.

Summer was useless - ask my new extractor.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Summer was useless - ask my new extractor.

Mine and yours

 

[Ian123]

Summer was useless - ask my new extractor.

For me the lime was useless blackberry was poor, a lot of chestnut around me and that saved it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

For me the lime was useless blackberry was poor, a lot of chestnut around me and that saved it.

A couple of years ago Stan and I drove into London on the M23 off the M25 abd there were masses of sweet chestnut in bloom.

 

[madasafish]

Okay, I'll start a new thread under the stairs so as to answer your questions. That way this thread can stay about the cold snap and beekeeping.

Just to be clear I was only responding to other posts dismissing the decline in solar activity with global warming arguments.

Thanks you.
I will not bother contributing to that thread.

NOTHING I can say will convince you to change your mind. YOU KNOW more than thousands of scientists so cannot be wrong

 

[Ian123]

A couple of years ago Stan and I drove into London on the M23 off the M25 abd there were masses of sweet chestnut in bloom.

I’m more m3 side so west, if anything there’s more this way, it’s scent on summer eves is really thick. Produced a nice dark honey, with its later July flowering it’s pretty consistent. Even a couple of years ago with the drought the large trees still produced and huge amounts of pollen. Probably my favourite bee tree.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I’m more m3 side so west, if anything there’s more this way, it’s scent on summer eves is really thick. Produced a nice dark honey, with its later July flowering it’s pretty consistent, even a couple of years ago with the drought the large trees still produced and huge amounts of pollen. Probably my favourite bee tree.

Im surrounded on all sides by many acres of sweet chestnut that is used for chestnut paling fencing but never get a good flow from it. I can only assume the trees never get mature enough to produce good amounts of nectar before they are coppiced.

 

[Ian123]

Im surrounded on all sides by many acres of sweet chestnut that is used for chestnut paling fencing but never get a good flow from it. I can only assume the trees never get mature enough to produce good amounts of nectar before they are coppiced.

I’ve seen those coppice areas and yes few flowers not much coppicing around me but large trees. I drive past a chunk of coppiced area down Cowdray/Petworth way and wondered about hives, I now no not to bother

 

[Newbeeneil]

I’ve seen those coppice areas and yes few flowers not much coppicing around me but large trees. I drive past a chunk of coppiced area down Cowdray/Petworth way and wondered about hives, I now no not to bother

I'm on the northern side of the hills above Cowdray....... there are some big trees but most is small stuff.

 

[Ian123]

I'm on the northern side of the hills above Cowdray....... there are some big trees but most is small stuff.

I love that pub tucked away on the hill Duke of Cumberland

 

[Newbeeneil]

I love that pub tucked away on the hill Duke of Cumberland

I've got a customer with 5 hives at the bottom of that hill

 

[Ian123]

Don’t tell everyone!!!! I get down that way a bit in the summer there’s a good view from the beer garden. Ive seen a few nice spots around the Ambersham polo grounds. Even a swarm down there last season, one of yours.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Don’t tell everyone!!!! I get down that way a bit in the summer there’s a good view from the beer garden. Ive seen a few nice spots around the Ambersham polo grounds. Even a swarm down there last season, one of yours.

I have some mates who have hives at Ambersham polo grounds so it was probably one of their's . I have none in Midhurst, mine are dotted all around the outskirts.

 

[Amari]

I’m more m3 side so west, if anything there’s more this way, it’s scent on summer eves is really thick. Produced a nice dark honey, with its later July flowering it’s pretty consistent, even a couple of years ago with the drought the large trees still produced and huge amounts of pollen. Probably my favourite bee tree.

You have sweet chestnut, I have OSR (don't mock it - many customers love it), others have Himalayan Balsam.

 

[Karol]

Thanks you.
I will not bother contributing to that thread.

NOTHING I can say will convince you to change your mind. YOU KNOW more than thousands of scientists so cannot be wrong

Interesting then that I have formed my opinion from reading science published by 'dissenting scientists' who by inference you are saying are wrong.

What is really troubling is the way that dissenting scientists are being silenced.

Mann vs Ball is an interesting example.