Flow on.

[dpearce4]

Is anyone else getting a big flow of honey on at the moment, Went up to my hives today and the ones I took OSR honey off last week, putting empty supers on at the same time, have filled and capped them fully. As have all the other hives that didn't produce much OSR (individual frames removed from these, empty supers left).

I know the field next to my hives is clover that is in full flower but over a super in one week per hive seems amazing for that. Or is that normal?

Have put more supers on, thank god I managed to get up today as they wouldn't have got inspected until next weekend otherwise.

 

[VEG]

When you have a good flow on they can fill one a week easily mine have done that when the temps are right on the balsom.

 

[richardbees]

DP - magic!
Don't know about clover but I've had the same result with some big local Limes when blossom coincides with the right weather.

 

[YorkshireBees]

just extracted my OSR and same as you, when I got back to the hives the empty supers are now almost full, and that is in less than 3 days!

 

[galileo]

Mine are on field beans at the moment and pouring it in. Looking like a month of it, given the staggered nature of the sowing, and a few thousand acres to boot. I'd prefer clover, but beans will do nicely as long as the warmth holds. Rejoice!

 

[Walrus]

OSR still coming in for me, but I'm right next to a big field of beans which should flower in a few weeks

 

[Shabro]

OSR still on the go and hope they manage to bring something in between this and the lime.
Also have some on a nature reserve that's just finished with hawthorn, now waiting for brambles and fireweed, hopefully they will venture into the town to keep them going too

 

[straightman21]

Loadsa OSR - No Honey?

I put three hives in the middle of about 100 acres of OSR that has been in flower for the last three weeks. Plenty of stores put in the brood boxes but nothing put in the supers.
I've tried supers with new foundation, supers with drawn comb, tried putting a couple of frames of uncapped OSR in the supers to encourage them, all to no avail. There are no QE's inserted.
We don't get much OSR in these parts so no past experience to go by. A friend has a similar set up about 20 miles away and is knee deep in honey.
Views would be welcome.

 

[Alabamaeee]

Maybe the stores in the brood box are not totally OSR. Some types of OSR are hybrid and aren't as attractive to the bees.

 

[Roola]

Flow

Don't know about other London beekeepkers but things are beginning to pick up for me, plenty heading out foraging, lots of nectar coming back.

 

[Stiffy]

Here in far SW the only flow is from the skies. Hopefully like last year there will be a late surge and they can get some stores in.
S

 

[Luminos]

Acacia here

 

[psafloyd]

Don't know about other London beekeepkers but things are beginning to pick up for me, plenty heading out foraging, lots of nectar coming back.

I hope so, Roola. It's been really slow this year though some of that is due to swarminess and also a couple being on 14 x 12 having more in the brood than on standard BB. However, it has been fairly quiet for the past couple of weeks.

 

[straightman21]

I put three hives in the middle of about 100 acres of OSR that has been in flower for the last three weeks. Plenty of stores put in the brood boxes but nothing put in the supers.
I've tried supers with new foundation, supers with drawn comb, tried putting a couple of frames of uncapped OSR in the supers to encourage them, all to no avail. There are no QE's inserted.
We don't get much OSR in these parts so no past experience to go by. A friend has a similar set up about 20 miles away and is knee deep in honey.
Views would be welcome.

Methinks I should have posted this as a standalone post so sorry for any inconvenience! (Moral: don't drink and post!)

 

[TOBY-3652]

extracting mine next week. some still flowering, the rape is next to my bees. but the funny thing is lots of pollen that they are bringing in is darkish grey not yellow// could this be beans???? because there is 200 acre half a mile away

 

[steve56616]

Im looking forward to the many Lime trees around here just waiting to open.
OSR is on the first supers also, if I don't use these will the bees use it even if it crystallises. I assume they will?

 

[itma]

Walking the hound this morning, only about 100 yards away as the bee flies, passed four cotoniaster bushes crawling with bees ...
And the fuchsia by the front door has just started blooming and today attracted its first few bees.
It may only have hit 16C, but summer must be here!

 

[PBee]

.... passed four cotoniaster bushes crawling with bees ...

Saw one here on Sunday being exclusively foraged by wasps.

 

[aberreef]

Not much here in the hills Colony build up has been VERY slow this year but starting to catch up now.

Hawthorn opened last week then it started to rain. Still managing to bring in a little stores though

 

[ROACHMAN]

Extracted my OSR honey today, disappointed to find that the honey in the supers was actually less than last week.

Then again the weather in this region has been poor over the past few days.