Honey flow and dearth

[babnik42]

I like to read as much information as I can about anything I do and beekeeping is no different. One thing that keeps coming up when various authors describe various manipulations is the timing of honey flows and deaths. This leads to lines such as "do not do this during a dearth" or "wait a week after the end of the main honey flow". My question is how do you know when there is a honey flow on? Can you tell from bee behaviour or is it just a question of learning what forage exists in your area and when it blooms? Round here for example I know we probably have a honey flow on right now as there is a lot of rape seed flowers. This was preceeded by fruit trees. Now I'm not sure if there's a lull before the summer when chestnut and later sunflowers are in Bloom. Anyway, one thing I have noticed is that beekeeping does make you more in tune with nature.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Anyway, one thing I have noticed is that beekeeping does make you more in tune with nature.

Turns you into a weather junkie!

My question is how do you know when there is a honey flow on?
Can you tell from bee behaviour

or is it just a question of learning what forage exists in your area and when it blooms?

Beekeepers talk of "The June Gap" when Spring flowers have gone and Autumn ones have yet to appear...think Rosebay,Bramble, Heather and Balsam to name a few. Last year there didn't seem to be one.

Bees in a flow are on a mission. They fly straight out of the entrance without ambling around the landing board or the front of the hive. They arrive home hanging as if laden with a heavy weight. The hive will be humming in the evening as the water content of the nectar is reduced. You can often hear this from some distance. The hive might smell of honey and sometimes pongs even!

Have a look at Storch "At The Hive Entrance" which is full of useful information. It's available somewhere as a download though it's nice to have the book. I got mine from Northern Bees.

And yes, get to know your local flora.

 

[YorkshireBees]

and the most obvious sign is nectar being stored in supers!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Lots of nectar from fields like these nearby

 

[enrico]

At the beginning of the week your super is light, at the end if the week it is really really heavy!

 

[Limousin Lass]

I like to read as much information as I can about anything I do and beekeeping is no different. One thing that keeps coming up when various authors describe various manipulations is the timing of honey flows and deaths. This leads to lines such as "do not do this during a dearth" or "wait a week after the end of the main honey flow". My question is how do you know when there is a honey flow on? Can you tell from bee behaviour or is it just a question of learning what forage exists in your area and when it blooms? Round here for example I know we probably have a honey flow on right now as there is a lot of rape seed flowers. This was preceeded by fruit trees. Now I'm not sure if there's a lull before the summer when chestnut and later sunflowers are in Bloom. Anyway, one thing I have noticed is that beekeeping does make you more in tune with nature.

This is my first full season, I started with 2 swarms last summer. I am doing some courses with my mentor at the moment and asked him this last week. He thinks we are 3-4 weeks ahead of last year and the forage gap will be in May. Fields of Oilseed Rape, Colza here ,that my bees are on is going over now. The field Beans are starting to flower but I don't know if they get much from them. Lupins will flower mid May , Sunflowers late June
What Dept are you? helps to answer as Marseilles would be different from Calais.

 

[Jimy Dee]

Simplest and most foolproof way is to buy a baggage weighing scales and lift your hives daily. Not only will you know when there is a flow but you will know how the flow is actually running. Other more experienced beeks here have recommended to put a screw into opposite sides of the one hive, slightly protruding to give you something to catch with your weighing scales - sounds good to me

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I keep mine on pallets, and have a hook for hefting. Gained 5kg in 6 days to today; we have a flow.

 

[madasafish]

You can tell when you have a honey flow on: standing outside the hive you can hear bees fanning to evaporate the water - and the smell... Heavenly.

Happens too rarely here - weather and crops have to be right.