Very dry weather

[simonforeman]

IS this a concern??
Was listening to the 5 live weather forecast in way into work and today/tomorrow cooler and some showers in isolated places... from then on its mid 20's for most of the country and all weekend. They then said there will be no rain for the next 10 to 14 days and will be hitting 30's next week....

What impact will this have on our bees and honey production and do we need to do anything in long periods of dry weather???

 

[Wingy]

What impact will this have on our bees and honey production and do we need to do anything in long periods of dry weather???[/QUOTE]

What we need to do is stock up on BBQ charcoal and make sure the fridge is stocked with plenty of cold beers. Oh and don’t forget the sun cream

 

[simonforeman]

Good answer but not the one I was after...

 

[mickbees23]

Weather forecast is almost always wrong. Its been forecast 20C and sunny here this week. This morning its blowing a hoolie and pouring down. I would love 30C and no rain for a week or 2.

 

[Jambo]

Two things come to mind

1 - plants need soil moisture to secrete nectar. But they also need warmth. Probably it'll be OK.

2 - bees need water to cool and humidify the hive in warm weather. Unless we have a severe drought they will find it, but you can save some "bee power" by providing a water source near the hive. They can then - in theory - spend more of their time gathering nectar. Don't be surprised though if they ignore your water source and continue flying further to drink water out of manky drains etc.!

Don't worry though - bees survive in much warmer and drier climates than ours, and this is much better than the alternative of a month of rain (as per main flow last year).

 

[enrico]

Less nectar is the noticeable factor, especially from some plants such as lime trees.
E

 

[linoleum bonypart]

You'd still be moaning if was raining!!!

 

[Poly Hive]

Have to laugh. Took a picture of our weather station last night as it flicked from giving the wind speed averages to saying "Raining cats and dogs" then went back to the wind then back to the quote until the rain eased a bit and it stayed on the wind averages. Never seen it do this before in two years so it was pretty heavy rain at the time.

Dryness equals no nectar and grumpy bees so beware. Also starvation can loom so again be aware.

PH

 

[foghornleghorn]

As it is it's too dry for much of a nectar flow here, danger of blackberry just burning up like it did in 2013here. Mountains are also very dry also so heather may be hit too

 

[MuswellMetro]

in london we have had no real rain since April, and the brambles have gone into survival mode and flowered early. Their centre buds have formed fruit. A few near water courses or late flowering varieties have yet to flower but to me the bramble flow is over, so it is going to be a long june gap in london

 

[Swarm]

Fifth day of rain here.

 

[madasafish]

We have had a week of dull overcast weather and overnight rain after virtually no rain for 4 weeks. The overflow from the fishpond at Biddulph Grange Country Park was streaming water at 8am. Normally in summer it's dry.

I anticipated a dry summer so mulched the garden heavily in spring and bought 200 honey jars in anticipation of a lime flow. I am having to use this lull to extract honey from the spring flows to give some empty supers..

Lime buds still tightly packed. My Korean bee trees ( Tetradium daniellii) which I grew from seed 7 years ago have their very first flowers in bud....for autumn feed.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

IS this a concern??
Was listening to the 5 live weather forecast in way into work and today/tomorrow cooler and some showers in isolated places... from then on its mid 20's for most of the country and all weekend. They then said there will be no rain for the next 10 to 14 days and will be hitting 30's next week....

What impact will this have on our bees and honey production and do we need to do anything in long periods of dry weather???

Thank goodness for that - I'd better get the reserve supers dusted off

 

[Fritillary]

Less nectar is the noticeable factor, especially from some plants such as lime trees.
E

Local lime trees loaded with wonderful heavy tresses of scented flowers... the best I've ever seen them. Beautiful. So far with 3 or 4 bumblebees on them. No rain at all... and now windy too. Grrrrrrrr!

 

[Stiffy]

in london we have had no real rain since April, and the brambles have gone into survival mode and flowered early. Their centre buds have formed fruit. A few near water courses or late flowering varieties have yet to flower but to me the bramble flow is over, so it is going to be a long june gap in london

Looking forward to the predicted warm spell, might get some queens mated properly, last batch was a disaster 2 out of 20 laying well enough to use (so far).
Bramble just starting to really get going down here and we have had plenty of rain recently, bees starting to cover it.
S

 

[Roola]

in london we have had no real rain since April, and the brambles have gone into survival mode and flowered early. Their centre buds have formed fruit. A few near water courses or late flowering varieties have yet to flower but to me the bramble flow is over, so it is going to be a long june gap in london

what do you tend to get after the gap in north London MM?

 

[Insy]

Here in Essex I've had Brambles/Limes/Clover/Elder flower 1-3 weeks now bit worried myself with this lack of rain but nothing I can do so will just sit and sulk bees still have a flow on but for how long without some nice h2O

 

[Erichalfbee]

My bees have been making up for the lack of floral nectar by humming their tunes in the oak trees

 

[Beagle23]

Plenty of pollen and nectar still coming in but it’s very very dry in north Surrey. I keep my birdbath topped up and the bees are often gathered around it having a drink

 

[Bakerbee]

Very dry in dorset. Have a pond and birdbath for bees if they want it but bet they dont. Luckyly live near a river which has lime trees all along it.