Lack of forage

[Stedic]

Last week bees were absolutely storming away. First full season so lots of wax to draw in supers, but they were clearly expanding. So much so that was worrying about running out of supers.

7 days later and they've made little progress. No new supers needed adding and brood box on some was very light. All had a bit in the way of stores in supers, but very odd.

Is this a delayed June gap or maybe a result of the weather? Brambles seem done near me, though the Rose bay willowherb is starting.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Same here over in Lincolnshire. Wondering where the next flow will come from in this drought.

 

[Ian123]

Obviously different areas will vary around me atm chestnut is out and going nicely atm I think theres another good week left but not much after that. The same as you the brambles are about done. With the way it’s been going I think the deep rooted trees have produced well and obviously any shallow rooted plants like your willow herb will suffer. I am expecting a bit of a crashing stop to any flow as soon as the chesnut here finishes

 

[Harley1]

I'm glad it's not just me. I've been a bit puzzled by the lack of forage as it's not something I've experienced before, but nearby beans have just come into flower this week and they seem to be liking that. Bramble is just starting so they should be happy for a while.

 

[Eyeman]

The balsam around the rivers and streams shouldn't be affect by this recent drought. Expecting a big flow over the next 2 months

 

[Curly green fingers]

The balsam around the rivers and streams shouldn't be affect by this recent drought. Expecting a big flow over the next 2 months

I think the balsams early this year and the fireweed. . my forage up here at the moment is . clover , thistles , brambles , fireweed , gorse , alpine herbs ,
I've just putt another super on one hive , there wasn't a gap here on titterstone Cleehill in June . I don't know how long its going to last in this weather but the thistles are on mass for miles very popular at the moment. I'm going to get a better summer crop than spring but that's because this hive swarmed the end of April.

 

[Poly Hive]

Everything is drying up.

Fireweed may be that in the North Americas but in the UK it is Willowherb please.

My HB has been kindly sprayed off by the fishing authorities so that is stuffed.

I pondered a moor move but they are bone dry so very unlikely to produce much unless there is some serious gentle rain.

Oh well plenty of fondant to hand if the worst comes to the worst.

PH

 

[Jimmy]

The balsam around the rivers and streams shouldn't be affect by this recent drought. Expecting a big flow over the next 2 months

I thought HB liked to have its roots wet to give a good flow? So little rain here since April that anything with shallow roots is looking parched.
Chatted to a commercial veg and fruit grower last night and he said most plants are suffering due to excessive heat. He waters his veg crops heavily but is finding that they were either bolting (coriander) or shutting down (courgettes). His top fruit crop of plums and apples has also stood still for the last 10 days.

 

[Popparand]

Drought

Here in Suffolk we had 0.7 mm rain in the whole of June and with temperatures c.30 deg and a drying breeze the ground is like iron. A lovely belt of blue tansy came into flower 10 days ago thanks to an eco-friendly farmer, but it's already going over. It should normally stay in flower for 6 weeks.

Bees all over the lavender for nectar and pollen and hives going like the clappers. I wonder if they are making an extra effort because they know forage wont last for much longer!

Not much blossom on the bramble, but summer wild flowers starting to open.

I think we'll be good but we need rain, and not just for the girls.

 

[Dodge]

It appears HB is flowering in Warwickshire. What looks like HB is flowering at a sewage farm discharge stream between Wood End and and the Lakes stations on the North Warwickshire railway line.

 

[Swarm]

Some Balsam already in flower on Pontypridd Common.

 

[madasafish]

HB in flower on Moors above us. Last year it flowered in end August.

The HB near the local stream is small and appears to be not growing due to drought.

 

[Millet]

The weather is not affecting anything where my bees are infact i am getting a bit sick of one colony through the nectar flow, the hive in question has five supers on it four are full with one still empty but they have totally filled the top brood box with honey and carrying on filling with the bottom brood box, i am not sure if the virgin has been mated yet because she has nowhere to lay.. bring on the rain to slow things down a little.

 

[Stedic]

I've seen a few thistles about. Horse chestnut leaves are turning brown round here. Crazy weather.

Never mind taking a honey crop, I hope I don't have to feed them!

Perhaps we'll get a big ivy flow later in the year.

 

[Beagle23]

My girls were all over the lavender and hydrangeas in my garden today (never seen them on the latter before).

 

[enrico]

Slow here too. Luckily spotted an acre or two of borage down the road. should flower later in the summer so not all is lost!
E

 

[Ian123]

You lucky git!! Mmmmm just how far is somerset

 

[Beefriendly]

Slow here too. Luckily spotted an acre or two of borage down the road. should flower later in the summer so not all is lost!
E

Moving a few hives onto 35 acres of borage this week.

 

[simonforeman]

I live in the Lincolnshire countryside on outskirts of a small village... not loads coming into the hive but they are finding enough to fill the supers they are on slowly....

I have a vine type weed that has small white flowers on it, the bees are gathering loads of red pollen from it.... also I have a climber along back fence that I think is called mile s minute. It has white smelly flowers that is alive with bees....

There's not allot on the road verges or field edges and dykes all very brown and crispy.

 

[madasafish]

Russian vine? You don't want it near a house as it destroys mortar.. Been there.