Off to the Heather

[AndyTh]

As there has been plenty of moisture up on the heather moors this summer, I'm planning to take my bees again to the Abergavenny area. A question for locals in that area - has the wet summer delayed heather flowering? Or are the moors just coming into flower now (a bit early?) brought on by the recent burst of warm weather? Ever the optimist I'm sure it's going to be a great August for the bees up on Borenge/Blaeavon/Llanover area. Any thoughts?

 

[Poly Hive]

My instant thought is you are late.

I would have had my bees on location a week ago, what do you think is happening now? It's flowing...if it can that is.

PH

 

[Mike a]

Last week the bell flowers were open but the ling flowers were still emerging across area I've been allocated in New Forest. I moved 3 out last week and aim to move another 2-3 hives very soon once I've given them a few extra frames of sealed brood so the colony is very strong.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

On the far West side of the Black mountain there's not much sign of the heather flowering yet.

 

[Poly Hive]

If you have the weather we have here.... it will be opening very soon if not now.

PH

 

[adrian wilford]

a bit of bell heather out, but ling is not out on north yorks yet or wasnt on friday

 

[Into the lions den]

If you have the weather we have here.... it will be opening very soon if not now.

PH

Two days of shifting left to do...............all the rest are up already.........BUT

The pattern in recent years has generally been for an early season and this would be in the peak bell weeks right now.

For 2012 however, only the low lying (and relatively unimportant) patches of bell are in high colour, although even they are only 25% open if you look closely. Most of the flowers, though visible, are still small and developing. The large hillside patches are not showing anything much yet. It will probably be at peak about month end this year.

The ling is looking very healthy indeed, but it is going to be late, and many of the plants are still almost fully green and the white tips of the flowers just being hinted at, Currently expecting first flower on the earliest tussocks of ling in sheltered spots to maybe open in about a week. The main flowering I do not seriously expect before the end of the second week of August. Much more in line with the old traditional dates.

Meanwhile the drones have been evicted from over 50% of the hives, the queens will not re-exand their nests even with a feed, the bees are working bell and tormentil with a vengeance and lots of pollen coming in, but NO nectar. As a certain curmudgeonly manager of Manchester United said once about the late season situation........its getting to 'squeaky bum time'.

 

[Poly Hive]

Thanks for the up date ITLD obviously I am going on memory and normal seasons.
Having said that I would still have my bees up there by now if the blasted gamie and agent had had the same hymn sheet...

PH

 

[keith pierce]

No going to bother this year, unless the weather men start tell us that there is going to be a heat wave.

 

[Poly Hive]

If you rely on the forecast....

In my old business we said a forecast is just that it's not a promise and called out the boats anyway.

PH

 

[mbc]

There's a cracking flow on here at the moment and as far as I'm concerned one of the most important rules in beekeeping is never to move bees away from a flow.

 

[Foxylad]

Limes have finished.

Taking the supers off this weekend before moving them to the heather site.

Flowers just starting and with this warm weather it will be imminent.

 

[Into the lions den]

There's a cracking flow on here at the moment and as far as I'm concerned one of the most important rules in beekeeping is never to move bees away from a flow.

Its a fair rule, but you are really lucky..........have been on the phone with my guys in the south and yes, like up here, LOTS of pollen in Hereford area today, but also like here, virtually no nectar. Working clover heavily, but mostly pollen, also some limes and a bit of balsam, but nothing of any worth nectar wise. Quite a lot of the drones out down there too, and brood rearing sharply curtailed, although a new flush of eggs reported the last couple of days.

All a bit depressing. First 200 are off to the heather this very night.

Then there is the small issue of marketability..............a more reliable yield and a better price from the bell heather.

ps.......bee inspectors reporting queenright colonies with virtually no brood....almost late Aug early Sept nests....not my bees, but have no reason to feel smug about my own, we KNOW they have been in a breeding torpor since late May. (last nectar in this area AT ALL was in the few hot days we got back then..not even a thimbleful since in many places.....and for those looking for pointers, the black bees and the imports are just the same)

 

[mbc]

I'm not sure what the nectars from but theres a considerable shake from the combs and good colonies have filled over a super since last Thursday, I've seen bees working the rag end of the blackberries, willowherb, thistles and clover and for the first time today I spotted balsom pollen coming in but still couldnt put my finger on what the bulk of the juice is from. Likewise this is the first real nectar since May.

 

[gavin]

There was a mini-flow at mine today in an unusally good day for the bees. Muggy, with the ground soaking wet, and up to 19 or 20C. Might be lime, I didn't watch them that closely but I'll be back in the morning. Just the one apiary of course. A few good days and it may be worthwhile staying put but I'd decided to do that anyway for now. Had a look around my usual heather site at the weekend and, like Murray, I thought that this year 12th August seems a better bet for full flowering than the more usual (these years) late July. But it will be different for those of you in Wales and other areas S of the border. Looks like that jet stream wants to sit over the border for a while.

Haven't fed mine all summer but I wish that I had as they have been raising little brood for a while and aren't as strong as I'd hoped they'd be for the heather. Quite a temper on them too (they're mostly hybrids Murray!). The worst thing about visiting the bees at the moment is not the temper of the bees but the clegs. I have to dress up before the walk to the bees rather than after.

 

[Jimmy]

Its a fair rule, but you are really lucky..........have been on the phone with my guys in the south and yes, like up here, LOTS of pollen in Hereford area today, but also like here, virtually no nectar. Working clover heavily, but mostly pollen, also some limes and a bit of balsam, but nothing of any worth nectar wise. Quite a lot of the drones out down there too, and brood rearing sharply curtailed, although a new flush of eggs reported the last couple of days.

Anyone got a valid reason for the poor nectar flow at the moment? It matches my observation of the last few days as the bees are very active but the hives are not noticeably gaining weight in SW Worcestershire/Vale of Evesham. With plentiful soil moisture and now very warm with bramble, the end of the lime, willowherb and clover all in flower I'd have thought they would be filling supers in days.

Apologies for the thread drift!
This webcam may give you a clue
http://www.abergavenny.org.uk/abergavenny_web_cam.htm

 

[herefordshirehoney]

Lots of pollen in my hives compared to last inspection in Hereford too . You must be fed up of moving all your hives by now.

 

[REDWOOD]

I'm not sure what the nectars from but theres a considerable shake from the combs and good colonies have filled over a super since last Thursday, I've seen bees working the rag end of the blackberries, willowherb, thistles and clover and for the first time today I spotted balsom pollen coming in but still couldnt put my finger on what the bulk of the juice is from. Likewise this is the first real nectar since May.

Mine to, filled a super in a week could not believe it ! I think it must bee the clover as the farmers did not cut the fields until this week, also the late flowering blackberry and no white bees yet so must be on something tasty I cant find but they are bringing in lots of lime green pollen so must be a good year for the lime trees although I cant find them either !! but they are flying up the mountain so there they must be, happy days at last

 

[BeeJayBee]

Mine to, filled a super in a week could not believe it!

I wish ours had. Went away for a few days, looked today, expecting to find some of the previously 3/4-filled frames capped, but they've eaten most of it.

 

[REDWOOD]

I wish ours had. Went away for a few days, looked today, expecting to find some of the previously 3/4-filled frames capped, but they've eaten most of it.

Amazing that we live on an island a few hundred miles each way and plant life and climate can be so different