Weather set to change…what to expect?

[Do224]

Looking at my 10 day forecast, there’s one more cool day and then temps are set to get up to the late teens for the foreseeable.

I’ve been trickle feeding 1:1 for the last week to keep the bees going, as at the last inspection each hive probably had under a frame of stores in total.

Should I expect to keep having to feed or will the rising temps mean that the nectar starts coming in and my attention should turn towards preventing swarming?

The past week has been mostly dry but cold. The bees have been busy collecting water and pollen but only really for a short period in the warmest part of the day.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Should I expect to keep having to feed or will the rising temps mean that the nectar starts coming in

Need to feed much less likely, but watch what they do and watch what is in flower. Top fruit & hawthorn going over in some areas, so unless sycamore & maple produce, it could be a dry nectar period until blackberry in late June.

my attention should turn towards preventing swarming

Definitely, esp. if they're near OSR.

 

[ericbeaumont]

preventing swarming

Not preventing, which would work in opposition to bees' instincts, but managing, so that both parties achieve their aims.

 

[Do224]

Not preventing, which would work in opposition to bees' instincts, but managing, so that both parties achieve their aims.

I’m sure you know what I meant

 

[Antipodes]

Looking at my 10 day forecast, there’s one more cool day and then temps are set to get up to the late teens for the foreseeable.

I’ve been trickle feeding 1:1 for the last week to keep the bees going, as at the last inspection each hive probably had under a frame of stores in total.

Should I expect to keep having to feed or will the rising temps mean that the nectar starts coming in and my attention should turn towards preventing swarming?

The past week has been mostly dry but cold. The bees have been busy collecting water and pollen but only really for a short period in the warmest part of the day.

View attachment 39705

Saturday looks like a day that they might go somewhere else...not your bees, because you've checked them, but perhaps for others.

 

[ericbeaumont]

I’m sure you know what I meant

No, only that there is a difference in meaning between prevent and manage.

For example, prevent may lead newer beekeepers to believe that eternal removal of QCs may avoid swarming. While that may calm any alarm at the novel sight of QCs, it is no substitute for manage, which suggests that the beekeeper has understood the need for planned action, that will allow the bees to follow their instincts without leaving the beekeeper forlorn.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

Weather set to change…what to expect?​

swarms

 

[Dodge]

Weather in Solihull has my bees still building up / expanding their brood nests.

I suspect that colonies will with good wheather still try to swarm as lengh of daylight may well trigger some colonies even if they are low on numbers this year.

 

[ericbeaumont]

to swarm as lengh of daylight may well trigger some colonies

Sounds interesting, Dodge. Have you come across any more info.?

 

[Dodge]

Sounds interesting, Dodge. Have you come across any more info.?

It's a suspicion founded on no empirical data or research tbh.

 

[The Poot]

It's a suspicion founded on no empirical data or research tbh.

So probably far more reliable than some tosh an algorithm churns out.

 

[JamezF]

From the BBC today:

"Over the weekend just gone, some parts of central and eastern England had half a month's rain, contributing to now an overall wetter than average month.

Parts of northern England, central and eastern Scotland have had more than twice the average rainfall for April."

James

 

[ericbeaumont]

It's a suspicion founded on no empirical data or research tbh.

On my way today it dawned on me that your observation fits the bee MO exactly: the Solstice on 21 June is the tipping point when total expansion converts slowly to acquisition, with day length the determining factor.

I don't know why it took me so long to see it, but a recent chest thing has given me a bit of Covid-style brain fog, and I've also been without food for two days as prep for a routine hospital check.

Bees must work out when it's worth the risk and when it's not, and concluded that temp. & day length this week makes it good to go. Had an allotment call at about 6.30pm to say there was one on the plot (oops) so I'll knock them into a box early tomorrow when it"s nice and chilly.

They must have agreed that temps. & day length were good enough to hang out overnight, which was considerate as I was elsewhere, making up for lost time with grilled mackerel and many cups of tea to wash away the Fentanyl.

 

[JamezF]

On my way today it dawned on me that your observation fits the bee MO exactly: the Solstice on 21 June is the tipping point when total expansion converts slowly to acquisition, with day length the determining factor.

A quick search doesn't turn up anything obvious suggesting that bees are sensitive to day length. I wonder if other environmental factors that may vary with day length are actually the driver.

For instance, day length may affect the amount of forage that can be brought in, just because there's less time available. The behaviour of plants may perhaps change too.

Or maybe they just have a calendar sneakily hidden away where we can't see it

James

 

[Dodge]

A quick search doesn't turn up anything obvious suggesting that bees are sensitive to day length. I wonder if other environmental factors that may vary with day length are actually the driver.

For instance, day length may affect the amount of forage that can be brought in, just because there's less time available. The behaviour of plants may perhaps change too.

Or maybe they just have a calendar sneakily hidden away where we can't see it

James

I may well mention day lengh when I next have a natter with Celia Davis, interested in her thoughts and experiences.