How do you tell if the bees are returning heavy / flow on.

[Dodge]

I am interested to see how we each tell if a flow is on?

My bees are urban so when the supers are filling they don't tend to all head off and come back in the same or a couple of directions; it's still pretty much all stations of the compass.

I look for heavy landings where they smack down or, as they arrive dip too low, newrly undershoot or occasionaly do and fly up to the landing board.

Answers so far:
- Bees leave like rockets.
- Hive hums like aircon in the evening.
- Abdomen is rounded like a hockey stuck on return.
- Bees not collecting water

 

[Erichalfbee]

I look around at what’s flowering first.
Right now there is a dandelion flow and the hives all smell of dandelion nectar Bees on a flow leave the hive at speed like rockets.
The hives hum like aircons in the evening

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Returning with full tummies the abdomen is rounded like a hockey stick? Leaving it's up in the air and pointed.

Like you I didn't really understand what a 'flow' meant until, watching the entrance, there is a continuous traffic out and back.
. . .. . Ben

 

[enrico]

if every bee is flying in the same direction and it is worse than the M25 then a flow is on!

 

[Amari]

I tell when I find the empty super I put on last week is now full. Three supers on some of my hives.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

if every bee is flying in the same direction and it is worse than the M25 then a flow is on!

some of us have osr in all directions. The landing boards are heaving.

 

[drex]

Still waiting to put on my first super . All colonies the same so not worried. My latest year yet. Going to inspect today and hope the situation has improved but it has been very cold with biting winds off the sea. Been on a knifedge of whether to feed or not . Still not.

 

[rook66]

I am interested to see how we each tell if a flow is on?

My bees are urban so when the supers are filling they don't tend to all head off and come back in the same or a couple of directions; it's still pretty much all stations of the compass.

I look for heavy landings where they smack down or, as they arrive dip too low, newrly undershoot or occasionaly do and fly up to the landing board.

Answers so far:
Bees leave like rockets.
Hive hums like aircon in the evening.

I can tell from the water supply on a good day, no bees taking water, there's a flow on.

 

[The Poot]

I just ask returning bees. If there’s a flow on they’re too busy to answer and just rush into the hive.

 

[Dodge]

if every bee is flying in the same direction and it is worse than the M25 then a flow is on!

Don't seem to get that with Urban bees, they still fly in multiple directions rather than one or two. I think it's because there are generally multiple nearby sources of their preffered forage at that time in all directions.

 

[Dodge]

I tell when I find the empty super I put on last week is now full. Three supers on some of my hives.

It's a bit late then. I must admit I love the feeling of the weight of filling supers but for me it's knowing a flow is on by observing the bees that builds up the anticipation of feeling the once lighweight super will be heavy or at least fulling up nicely.

 

[Sutty]

Lots of bees fanning at the entrance late evening, and the whole hive humming!