Synopsis of the season so far

[BMH]

Where do you take your bees for the heather?

He takes them to Llandegla.

 

[YorkshireBees]

From the evidence of the last 2-3 days inspections (2 out of 5 apiaries) I'm putting extra supers on most if not all hives!

Full flow on here from just about everything (Lime / bramble / willow herb etc.)

Most colonies had extra empty supers already on (was starting to think I was over optimistic) as they needed the space for bees (large production colonies on 1 BB).

Hopefully I can start extraction this weekend and keep the supers rolling back on to hives.

 

[Obee1]

My farm apiary hives have found the balsam judging by the number of ghost bees. They are trucking in lots of deep yellow pollen. The three largest colonies have nearly filled 2 supers each but not much of it capped yet. Took some frames for extraction and returning.

As for the garden hives. One is now on a 14 x12 bb then two nat bb and two supers. No QE though. There is brood in the three bottom boxes and I had to extract super frames to get them some combs to refill. The other two garden hives doing well too - no idea what they forage on though as there is a huge park opposite with much to choose from - not least three of the biggest lime trees I ever saw. Need to buy more buckets and jars

 

[Jimmys Mum]

Two weeks ago I turned down offers of selling some of my honey at local Christmas fayres as I thought I wouldn't have enough honey left for my other outlets and surplus for the fayres...what a difference 2 weeks can make. Unbelievable.
My spring crop however was half the quantity of last year but now, yes, like Yorkshire bees, I have had to start extracting to roll supers back on. The honey is very different to last year's dark offering. very pale, crystal clear and fragrant. Lime????

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

My season is indeed over in mid-July. The weather and the forage fell awkwardly; you'll have better luck elsewhere, as I can see.


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[Obee1]

Two weeks ago I turned down offers of selling some of my honey at local Christmas fayres as I thought I wouldn't have enough honey left for my other outlets and surplus for the fayres...what a difference 2 weeks can make. Unbelievable.
My spring crop however was half the quantity of last year but now, yes, like Yorkshire bees, I have had to start extracting to roll supers back on. The honey is very different to last year's dark offering. very pale, crystal clear and fragrant. Lime????

I'm finding the opposite. Last year I had a very light, clear, citrus flavoured summer honey. This summer I'm getting a dark strong flavoured honey - I thought last year's tasted good but this is amazing. My best tasting honey so far.

 

[ianorsven]

Slowish build up and only 50lb of OSR spring honey from two hives at end of May.
Since then, good build up and both these hives now with 4 supers each at about 50% capped.
ASed both hives and new queens from these in lay. One on 7 frames BIAS and one super half full. Two nucs made up to "park" queens and control swarming in already ASed colonies.
So, pretty good at the moment.

 

[MuswellMetro]

My season is indeed over in mid-July. The weather and the forage fell awkwardly; you'll have better luck elsewhere, as I can see.


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Same, i picked my first of the year blackberry this morning, Flow is all but finnished in Muswell Hill, blackberry over, live over, a bit of great willow herb and one or two ghost bees but not a lot around , and bottom supers being eaten out

An extra super put on a hive on a large colony 14 days ago has not even a bee in it today

Time to clean the extractor and sort out the rhombus clearers

 

[snelgrove]

Blackberry, clover and willow herb just starting. Added extra supers 2 day, colonies that were almost starving a week ago need more room to store. Balsam just starting but no white bees spotted yet.
Been a similar season to last year in many respects.

 

[theeggman]

2 weeks ago we caught and housed a swarm that went whilst going through the next hive. Checked a few days later to find they were drawing drone comb (s**t another drone layer). Today still some drone brood but lotsa worker brood and a 14x12 50% full of stores. We were going to shake out the colony. Instead we adjusted the brood frames and shoved 2 supers on, they are running out of laying space. We don't know what they are bringing in but there's lots coming in.

HAS anybody got a clue what the bees are going to do in advance, if so please post on here so us humans may have 1/2 a chance.

 

[tonyofarr]

Well the clover is still going strong and there is still some blackberry around. The balsam is just starting to come in. Can't believe it after last year that we actually have heavy supers being capped. I hurt my back bringing all the hay in so my wife has spent the last 3 days rearranging hives to put the heaviest, most finished supers at the top. The problem we have now is a load of visitors even though wife told her father NOT to visit this weekend, and wife's old school friend who has now decided to extend his visit from Monday to Friday AND wants us to meet someone he worked with in Qatar. The Vicar came round last weekend and said the Bishop was coming to our Church, could we show him the bees? Of course the wife could not say no, so they are due here this morning as well.

Anyway it looks like we are going to have to start extracting honey next week and I don't know how we are going to do that with a houseful of visitors. We have never had any of our summer crop off this early, but if any is ready it's coming off. Wife reckons the honey flow will finish at the home apiary first as we are nowhere near any balsam, but all the silage and hay has been cut late this year so it will be interesting to see if it extends the clover by a week. It will probably just rain and stop the flow dead.

 

[Cussword]

No Balsam, no clover, but loads of willow herb and blackberry. Just added second supers.
This will be my first personal harvest, as had none last year.

Looking good.

So far

.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Well the clover is still going strong and there is still some blackberry around. The balsam is just starting to come in. Can't believe it after last year that we actually have heavy supers being capped. I hurt my back bringing all the hay in so my wife has spent the last 3 days rearranging hives to put the heaviest, most finished supers at the top. The problem we have now is a load of visitors even though wife told her father NOT to visit this weekend, and wife's old school friend who has now decided to extend his visit from Monday to Friday AND wants us to meet someone he worked with in Qatar. The Vicar came round last weekend and said the Bishop was coming to our Church, could we show him the bees? Of course the wife could not say no, so they are due here this morning as well.

Anyway it looks like we are going to have to start extracting honey next week and I don't know how we are going to do that with a houseful of visitors. We have never had any of our summer crop off this early, but if any is ready it's coming off. Wife reckons the honey flow will finish at the home apiary first as we are nowhere near any balsam, but all the silage and hay has been cut late this year so it will be interesting to see if it extends the clover by a week. It will probably just rain and stop the flow dead.

Have you thought about telling visitors they're expected to wear a veil and help?

 

[tonyofarr]

They would probably be more of a hindrance than a help, plus probably scared witless by the number of bees in some of those hives, mind you, that could work.........

Anyway, as predicted it started raining yesterday afternoon, and it is still raining, just hope that is not the end of the flow because the forecast does not look that great now either.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

They would probably be more of a hindrance than a help, plus probably scared witless by the number of bees in some of those hives, mind you, that could work.........

Anyway, as predicted it started raining yesterday afternoon, and it is still raining, just hope that is not the end of the flow because the forecast does not look that great now either.

TBH, around here we need some rain to keep the flow (what is left) going.

 

[Swarm]

We've got that today and due to be nice tomorrow
Added more supers yesterday.