When does the flow end.

[jimthebee]

Hi folks,
I know this is a pretty inaccurate question, and we have had a pretty mental year weather wise. Well certainly in the South east.

But when does the flow pretty much draw to a close, Do the bees just run out of goodies to collect and do they just chill out in the hive ?

I live in the Bromley area of South London/North Kent ?

thanks in advance.
Jim

 

[BERNIE]

Hi folks,
I know this is a pretty inaccurate question, and we have had a pretty mental year weather wise. Well certainly in the South east.

But when does the flow pretty much draw to a close, Do the bees just run out of goodies to collect and do they just chill out in the hive ?

I live in the Bromley area of South London/North Kent ?

thanks in advance.
Jim

did'nt know it started, very bad year for me.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Depends which flow you mean,location also plays a part.

Bramble....Heather....Ivy......Balsam..ect.

 

[gavin]

If you have ivy in quantity near you then maybe October. Himalayan balsam into September. But for a flow then you need to have enough of them within a few km.

 

[Flatters]

Up in Wigan where I live they have loads of Balsam through September and last year lots of ivy into October. No mass chopping of balsam around and I live near wooded area so I am hoping the same again. It will all depend on weather though.

 

[jimthebee]

any flow would be good, I just want to get some honey in this my first year,
cant handle the p--s takers at work ribbing me for being a bee minder not a honey provider.

 

[Chris B]

There's still nectar available but usually I don't reckon on much of a surplus from about now onwards. A flow good enough to produce honey in supers is usually fairly localised.

 

[Flatters]

JimTheBee. I would not count on honey in the first year. You may get some, you may not. Last year I could have got half a super but I gave it back to the bees over winter (6 frames in a super at bottom of hive which they emptied.) Second year you should get some; third super now on the strong colony. All the swarms I am just building up so they need what they collect. Just tell your work mates that delayed gratification is a sign of maturity or P*** off, which ever you think would be best.

 

[OXFORDBEE]

Have to agree with Chris, although I'm south of where he is. I've got some hives near blackberries with a slow but steady flow. The blackberries are over halfway through flowering. Once the blackberries have finished the season is over for me, but that's just because of the area I'm in.

Away from the blackberries the bees are breaking even but not running at a profit, so they are not storing honey. Its therefore almost time to start extracting. It is interesting how the nectar flow can vary significantly between apiaries, even if they are close(ish) together.

I've noticed increased wasp activity recently, even in areas where blackberries are still in flower. Increased wasp activity near hives is a sign the season is coming to a close. If you think the bees are not flying as hard (and fast) as they were a couple of weeks ago then mabye the main flow is coming to a close where you are. Just check your entrances and make sure the bees can easily defend them against wasps.

When there's not much forage the foragers will remain at home. Just be aware that in July the bees behave like lambs and end up like lions...

Hope this reply is not too woffly...

 

[keith pierce]

as a general rule i think that at the end of july the honey flow slows down dramitically that there is no longer a suplus coming into the hive and anything else that they bring into the hive goes into winter stores, so if you have no honey in you supers now, i think you are looking at next year before you will get some.

 

[Foxylad]

My main flow was lime trees which has differently finished, just a few collecting bramble at the moment.

No balsum this part of Norfolk, maybe some heather.

Off to look at some spring rape today, it might not be over yet....

 

[Skyhook]

Not unusual not to get honey in the first year; and if they haven't got a surplus by now, chances are they won't have.

If you're desparate, and they have filled the hive and have some frames of stores, you could pinch one and extract by scraping into a sieve, get a couple of jars- but only if they can spare it. Remember the important thing this year is a strong hive to go into winter.

 

[colin]

honey flow

The honey flow is over for us here where we live in Lincoln it has all ways finished around the second week of july.Most of the honey in the supers is sealed so it will be removed and extracted and this leaves the bees to collect some stores and then we top up with winter feed through september.

 

[Crg]

as a general rule i think that at the end of july the honey flow slows down dramitically that there is no longer a suplus coming into the hive and anything else that they bring into the hive goes into winter stores, so if you have no honey in you supers now, i think you are looking at next year before you will get some.

He's in South London, there's plenty more.

 

[Crg]

Hi folks,
I know this is a pretty inaccurate question, and we have had a pretty mental year weather wise. Well certainly in the South east.

But when does the flow pretty much draw to a close, Do the bees just run out of goodies to collect and do they just chill out in the hive ?

I live in the Bromley area of South London/North Kent ?

I'm only slightly north of you and at this time in most years the my bees will have only gathered 2/3rds of the honey crop. They'll usually be bringing in surplus up till October.

 

[rockdoc]

Last year was my first going solo so to speak. Picked up two swarms in July and bottled 90 lbs of honey. I know that is perhaps not the norm for a first year, but it really depends, as has been said, on whats about. Here in Thanet, we have lots of ivy and that seems to have taken my colonies through last winter reasonably well.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Most plants seem to flower for about 3 weeks.. I've had loads of bramble honey coming in; I suspect it will finish soon. Then supers off and Varroa treatment.

One commercial 'keeper said to me that he takes the honey at (around) the end of July. After that, it's the bees'. There's not much around my apiary from the end of July except Ivy which I usually allow the bees to have.

 

[jezd]

He's in South London, there's plenty more.

exactly, only just mid-July so plenty of time for Urban bees to top up supers

 

[MandF]

Out of interest.. lets say the flow slows so you do not get any more extra nectar in, will they continue to evaporate and cap what there is in the supers?

We have 3 supers on each at the moment, and live in London so expect there to be some kind of flow for some time yet - but maybe not any big surplus. Assuming there isnt a major flow on (and we get lots more capped honey which we will extract as needed), do we leave the 3 supers on there (1 super on each approx is wets which we returned yesterday and has gone in the middle of the existing 2) until say september, then extract whatever is in the supers, or do we need to be extracting as we go along and reducing the number of supers gradually?

Basically want to know how to deal with winding down when we arent entirely sure when our season will effectively end.

Thanks

 

[bobandbec]

The bees are still working clover at one apiary and balsam at the other but definitely slowed over the last week. As said before probably maintaining or just slight increase at the moment. I'll be looking to take off by the end of July to get any treatments for varroa under way and finished by the end of August. This leaves time to produce healthy Winter bees needed to come out strong next Spring. Usually August and September gives them enough stores to go through the Winter.

Peter