differential honey crops

[Cuckmere couple]

interested in the factors that result in variations in nectar collection and storage between hives

i have one demareed hive which has 4 supers full and a 5th UD above the nest....ive had to use two lower BBs one of which (the bottom one!) is now full of stores...and the UBB is being backfilled fast too

it has a couple of hives around it which were demareed at the same time and where laying rate has been similar and similar volumes of bees but which are just filling 2nd super

funnily enough...the large hive was a similar distance ahead of the others this time last year but with a different queen etc....the location is almost identical ie between the others on the same stand.....

is this everyone's experience or do you see rates of nectar storage broadly similar during a flow

 

[Erichalfbee]

interested in the factors that result in variations in nectar collection and storage between hives

i have one demareed hive which has 4 supers full and a 5th UD above the nest....ive had to use two lower BBs one of which (the bottom one!) is now full of stores...and the UBB is being backfilled fast too

it has a couple of hives around it which were demareed at the same time and where laying rate has been similar and similar volumes of bees but which are just filling 2nd super

funnily enough...the large hive was a similar distance ahead of the others this time last year but with a different queen etc....the location is almost identical ie between the others on the same stand.....

is this everyone's experience or do you see rates of nectar storage broadly similar during a flow

Mine are mostly different enough to notice.

 

[Finman]

is this everyone's experience or do you see rates of nectar storage broadly similar during a flow

Hives are different from the beginning after winter, spring build up and the size of summer. Queens' laying abilities vary.

When the queen lays, those eggs become foragers 6 weeks later.

You make all kind of operations : how you use excluders, how much you give boxes to lay, how you support weak hives' build up, how hives swarm, what kind of pastures ypir hives have

 

[Antipodes]

interested in the factors that result in variations in nectar collection and storage between hives

i have one demareed hive which has 4 supers full and a 5th UD above the nest....ive had to use two lower BBs one of which (the bottom one!) is now full of stores...and the UBB is being backfilled fast too

it has a couple of hives around it which were demareed at the same time and where laying rate has been similar and similar volumes of bees but which are just filling 2nd super

funnily enough...the large hive was a similar distance ahead of the others this time last year but with a different queen etc....the location is almost identical ie between the others on the same stand.....

is this everyone's experience or do you see rates of nectar storage broadly similar during a flow

I reckon it is tricky to tell which colony is truly the strongest in as much as "likely to make the most of a flow". I find it tricky anyhow. As I understand it, a colony needs to have had at least four rounds of brood emerging since the buildup to have the numbers to make the most of a flow.

 

[Finman]

As I understand it, a colony needs to have had at least four rounds of brood emerging since

If it takes so much time, in Finland summer is over

In USA it is said that hive is rippen to forage yield after 6 weeks. 3 weeks as brood, 3 weeks as home bee and 3 weeks as field bee.
It depends, how big the colony is after winter. Varroa tend to reduce the colony before next season.