It's been a funny year this...

[OXFORDBEE]

So how's your honey crop looking?

I gather there are are quite a few locations where stocks are being fed to keep them going. Where I am it's looking like an average year so far....

 

[Baggyone]

Looking like being like for like per hive so far. Nows my main flow and supers going on every week.

 

[VEG]

I am down on last year but the balsam is starting earlier so will have to wait and see.

 

[Vergilius]

We've got a flow just starting round here I think...


Ben P

 

[Black Comb]

Poor year. Been feeding for weeks.

 

[chickendave]

I've been feeding also on some colonies, but in the last week the flow has started and one colony has filled nearly two supers in a week
checked all the other hives and nucs today to make sure they all have enough room to accommadate the flow over the next week, but will be keeping a careful eye on things as I have been called out to six swarms in the last three days so I guess loads of beeks are going to be caught out

 

[Pete Nicholson]

Honey flow....or NOT!!!

Down in deepest devon and things do not appear good for my hives - had to feed a couple of gallons to each over the last month and checked today.
Lots of lovely capped brood but NO HONEY ARCH on any brood frame and the supers are about quarter full of uncapped store.
It had better start soon or I am going to have to feed fondant.
Anyone else in Devon having the same problem?
P.

 

[Chris B]

Very mixed, but averaging out to ..... well average.

But I'm set to beat my own record for yield for an individual hive.

 

[chickendave]

Chris B how much would that be for one hive

 

[Chris B]

I knew somebody would ask.
Previous record was 350lb back in 2003, which included 70lb off the heather. I killed the queen as the bees were so vicious, but regretted it ever since.
This year's star performers are on around 240lb now but they are now piling it in quicker than ever so they can beat 350 I reckon.
I always get a few 200lb colonies. This year they all seem to be in one apiary.

 

[tonybloke]

does that include osr, chris?

 

[kazmcc]

Not had to feed yet, but they started well, then uncapped it all as we were about to harvest the super. They are building back up though, even though Q-

 

[Chris B]

does that include osr, chris?

Yes I don't think I've got an apiary that doesn't have osr.

 

[tonybloke]

Yes I don't think I've got an apiary that doesn't have osr.

I keep some bees at home ( urban area) no osr, or heather nr here, may have a couple on the osr next yr, i'll see if I can get a decent crop from it. I've heard of 3-4 supers in a fortnight is about average

 

[chickendave]

Have to say quite impressive will have to try harder but have been concentrating on making increases not yields

 

[Chris B]

I've heard of 3-4 supers in a fortnight is about average

Not so sure of that. The bees need to be very strong and the weather needs to co-operate. Rape can be good but it does come before most bees have peaked.

 

[viridens]

Still a very poor year here. All colonies now self-supporting without feeding and mucho bees, but only a few frames capped honey in supers so far and certainly no surplus to extract. I hope that things look up soon, or it'll be a bumper winter for Tate & Lyle...

 

[tonybloke]

Not so sure of that. The bees need to be very strong and the weather needs to co-operate. Rape can be good but it does come before most bees have peaked.

some beekeepers round here were disappointed with the osr this year, due to dry weather, theydidn't get hardly any crop from osr, but then I met another chap at the local beekeeping suppliers who said he'd got 140 lb of osr from one colony!

 

[fincaazul]

So how's your honey crop looking?

I gather there are are quite a few locations where stocks are being fed to keep them going. Where I am it's looking like an average year so far....

Took 20lbs off in April, colony now on double brood, two nearly sealed supers, and brood box on top as no waxed super frames ready. So many bees that I need help with inspections. One shook swarm on allotment early April has morphed into a split, which rapidly swarmed, was hived and hopefully doing well, but questionable as to producing a harvest this year. Have several experiences af hiving a swarm only for it rapidly decamp, in latest case after two days, recaptured nearby and successfuly rehived. Bee behaviour seems to have changed lately. All this in Birmingham.

 

[Gardenbees]

An odd year here due to the phenomenal early start followed by weeks of water- and nectar-drought. Got some early honey; will probably get some from H. balsam next month. Meanwhile they are just about self-supporting and starting to build up after a very dry patch.

Queens have been a problem this year: fickle behaviour (one mated queen flew off and disappeared; a couple of virgins never returned, probably due to sharp change in the weather and strong winds). Also a couple of breaks in laying, due presumably to an almost total lack of incoming nectar in much of May. They still need to make up more brood; currently there's lots of eggs again, lots of older brood, nothing in between.

Overall result? probably slightly under average... but an Indian summer with loads of balsam and late garden flowers (which are plentiful around here) could make up the difference. I hope so! Plus, I have the advantage of more splits than I expected, which I did want this year, so that needs taking into account too.