Is it just me

[thorn]

Or is it an odd year?

After a long, cold spring, the colonies seem to have sprung into life extraordinarily quickly. They’re bigger than they normally are at this time of year, and have filled the supers more rapidly as a result.

 

[JWF]

I think there's been an intense period of tree blossom after the cold weather delayed the start of spring, so early spring happened all at once. In the SE we've had some good weather coinciding with this blossom and my colonies are taking advantage of it!

 

[madasafish]

I have one hive on 3 supers: unheard of for this time of year..

 

[dpearce4]

I have just split a hive that was 3 commercial brood boxes, 26 frames of it were brood.

 

[sbisme]

I’ve noticed the same here, one hive almost filled three supers and three on two

 

[Erichalfbee]

I think it’s what a decent winter does to spring blossom.
I’m having to split most of my colonies one way or another.

 

[Millet]

The normal winters we used to have seems to be paying of.

 

[EdNewman]

I've already extracted 3 capped suppers and another 2 to do. We don't even have OSR nearby.

Ed.

 

[B+.]

Or is it an odd year?

After a long, cold spring, the colonies seem to have sprung into life extraordinarily quickly. They’re bigger than they normally are at this time of year, and have filled the supers more rapidly as a result.

"Make hay while the sun shines"!

 

[SDM]

Apiaries surrounded by open fields are about where id expect them to be (basically waiting for Hawthorne) but anywhere with any quantities of sycamore, horse chestnut has filled 2 supers in the last fortnight.
Trees have been giving up huge amounts of nectar.

 

[Walrus]

Yes, I'm getting a good amount of Spring honey, which is great. No OSR but plenty of trees. I think it's going to be worth keeping an eye on any new nucs though, because the flow will end soon and nucs may then need feeding.

 

[Roola]

I'm feeling quite downbeat about this year so far. Mixed bag with my colonies but the majority are taking an age to build up post winter... those few that were strong coming out of winter are doing well for honey but they are fewer and further between... quite depressed.

 

[madasafish]

I'm feeling quite downbeat about this year so far. Mixed bag with my colonies but the majority are taking an age to build up post winter... those few that were strong coming out of winter are doing well for honey but they are fewer and further between... quite depressed.

Some good weather for two weeks and you may be pleasantly surprised.

 

[drex]

Fell much the same as Roola, and also the OSR here is going over, so time to extract that. Has been a good flow last two weeks. Tempted to leave the OSR on for a while yet, but made that mistake in the past

 

[will]

Has anybody noticed how short OSR was in flower this year it’s gone over here already

 

[Beefriendly]

Yes, but it seems quite varied. I have one field near to me that went from no flowers to full flower and to seed in less than 3 weeks and some further away that has been in full bloom for over 2 weeks and no sign of flagging (yet). Suspect water availability and possibly strain used might be factors for length of flowering period.
Also have some fields of rape that are just coming into flower near my high ground apiary.

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Into third week topped up with Hawthorn