Cross over point

[Poly Hive]

When is a colony successfully overwintered is being asked.

My definition is this:

Successful wintering is achieved when the hatch rate of new bees is greater than the death rate of the Winter bees. That is the point at which it can be said it has successfully overwintered.

The above is not dependant on flowering of certain plants or trees it is purely a numerical business.

What happens if the hatching is less than the dispatching? Well, that is called in the UK Spring Dwindle and is difficult to alter. Arguably if the col0ony cannot succeed with normal help, ie fondant and so on then they should be allowed to die out as the genes are not ones to be cherished.

PH

 

[birdsandbees]

would the speed of build up not also be connected to the availability of Pollen for brood rearing?
I have one apiary where there is clearly an abundance of Pollen which the bees are making the most of where as another apiary which was bringing in pollen from Catkins a while ago now seems to be in a Pollen dearth with hardly any coming in.
I guess given another couple of weeks they will be off again but surely without sufficient resources to raise brood they cant expand very quickly, they haven't failed just restricted.

 

[Poly Hive]

My experience when I was feeding pollen patties was that the ones that were in decline barely touched it and failed. The "boomers" flew on it.

PH

 

[birdsandbees]

I'm debating on feeding Pollen Patties to them, I'll see what is going on next visit (next weekend) if still thin pickings I'll add some and fingers crossed they'll be good.

 

[Poly Hive]

I should have mentioned my PP's contained pollen not sub.

PH

 

[Finman]

which was bringing in pollen from Catkins a while ago now seems to be in a Pollen dearth .....

Catkin pollens have very poor protein values. They are wind pollinators. Bees must eate it really much to feed larvae.

.

 

[Millet]

I can tell mine have successfully over wintered when the activity at the entrance trebles and the willows are alive with bees in the beginning of April.

 

[birdsandbees]

I'm still learning the seasonal availability of forage around my Apiaries, it seems to vary year on year but this year there isn't much pollen around my woodland site yet, I guess they make the most of what is available which is why they hit the catkins.

 

[Swarm]

Mine were piling pollen in on the weekend. Lesser Celandine is just breaking so a couple of weeks and there will be Dandelion galore and the pungent smell of sweaty feet around the apiary.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Mine all out on the crocus. A few celandines are out and the early willow is just starting. Catkin forage is hilarious, they are cloudy with pollen but by lunchtime the bees have left them bald without a grain remaining. The carnies still have masses of stores looking through the crown board. What have they been eating?

 

[Swarm]

Three distinct colours going in with the Amm's, big loads of orange crocus but also some pale yellow and small loads that were almost white. The white loads were quite small but each bee was left with a white forehead. No idea what that is.

 

[Curly green fingers]

I can tell mine have successfully over wintered when the activity at the entrance trebles and the willows are alive with bees in the beginning of April.

Crumbs there falling out of the hive to go and collect pollen happy days .
Nice pics by the way. The employed are now working
What will be your first nectar source for honey cropping?

Cheers mark

 

[Millet]

Crumbs there falling out of the hive to go and collect pollen happy days .
Nice pics by the way. The employed are now working
What will be your first nectar source for honey cropping?

Cheers mark

I was hoping for wild cherry blossom as the OSR has been sacked in the area for now which has me happy, however the keeper has planted around one acrce of cover crop not far from my hives which is the double of OSR hopefully it is not..

 

[Curly green fingers]

I was hoping for wild cherry blossom as the OSR has been sacked in the area for now which has me happy, however the keeper has planted around one acrce of cover crop not far from my hives which is the double of OSR hopefully it is not..

We have no Cherry's growing by me lots of thorn and willow , and small amounts of ash,maples and sicamore have you ever had a honey crop from thorn trees before?

 

[Millet]

What are thorn.. do you mean Hawthorn ..?

 

[MartinL]

What are thorn.. do you mean Hawthorn ..?

Blackthorn is in bud here,
Hawthorne not around till May?

 

[Newbeeneil]

Blackthorn out in Sussex, is it a good source of pollen/nectar?

 

[Poly Hive]

This where you want a copy of Wedmore.

Blackthorn is not listed either under honey or pollen.

PH

 

[masterBK]

In some years in my area the blackthorn is covered in honey bees actively collecting nectar and pollen.

 

[Finman]

.
Our bees collect birch pollen too, if they do not have anything else.

Same with Amelanchier. It is very rare that they visit in Amelanchier flowers.

Many beekeepers say that bees forage Sorbus aucuparia honey. But I cannot see any size droplets of nectar in flowers.

But it does not harm if beeks keep their "facts". Impossible to change them.

.