When will the honey flow end?

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dickbowyer

House Bee
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Joined
May 3, 2010
Messages
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Location
W Sussex, UK
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
Some hives and a few nucs
As a new Beek would be interested to know when the honey flow is likely to end excluding those who go for heather! :redface: At local Sussex meeting last night, got the impression it was all over and time to pack up for the winter.
 
That would be the anti-ivy brigade?

It might depend on where you are situated. In the midddle of a huge block of OSR, it was probably all over nearly two months ago in some areas!

There is a big difference between a 'strong' flow and a continuous (but lesser) flow, but the amount of honey stored can be considerable in both cases.

As I rarely feed much sugar to my bees my season can extend to November, but I do not bank on it. There will be 'spare' late frames either to distribute to other colonies as necessary, or perhaps some honey to spin out into October. I keep my options open and can either park a super above a Dartington while pinching a few extra large frames for elsewhere, and there will likely be a few frames from united colonies.....

That is one of the advantages of those type hives mixed in with the Nationals.

Regards, RAB
 
it depends on many things. Where you are in the country, your local forage, rainfall etc. I would say I've not had a flow since early June as it has been too dry.

We've only had 7mm rain this month and 20mm last month so the white clover hasn't yet flowered (if it is not dead). I have a large patio covered with thyme which yielded a lot in July last year but almost nothing this year.

I suspect that as it has rained in most parts of the country in the last week then another flow might start as the plants get some much needed water.
 
Can you smell the pollen after the rain? There was a smell I got when visiting a hive, and then a few days later I recognised it again, I thought it had stuck to my hair as when I tried on of Pauls suits on I had this honey smell follow me around all day. Or is it just my imagination? lol
 
The clover is still out down here and there`s still plenty of buds on the blackberry bushes.
 
last year, blackberrys were still flowering in late Autumn as was clover, wild mint and rosebay willow.

The bees collected a huge amount of stores in September
 
Bees today on blackberry, clover, trefoil, bindweed, some peculiar looking bush in the garden. Mints yet to come, willowherb getting there...or at least no bees on ours, lavenders yet to come, ice plants and asters and our little plot of heather moor (lol). Next year we'll move hives to the heather but no time this year...not very far in two directions.

Pollen going in to six hives today...the big baskets of bright yellow seem to have stopped...never knew what they were. Lots of bees with small amounts of silver-grey with nectar loads, some clover (fudge coloured), some sage green...meadowsweet??, and a bit of midnight blue...big baskets, amazing colour...poppy??.
 
Lavender just starting to go over and wild mint still going strong around me.
 
Mint, lavender, sage, budlija and overgrown veg are all yet to flower in my gardenbee-smillie
 
Dark blue/green blue - rosebay willow herb.
Lots of yellow pollen.
Ivy to come.
October?
 
It's not over here until the balsam's had it's go. Last year it made a huge contribution. I had squadron's of the girls coming home looking like golden ghosts. There's still honey to be had I think.
 
What a crazy country we live in - hosepipe ban in the North so it rains- here in W Sussex we haven't had ANY rain for 10 weeks- so very dry hence flow slowing .When forecast it doesn't arrive... We cannot win!
If no rain in the next 2 weeks will extract all and call it a day.
 
The very deep beautiful blue is most likely willow herb.

My flow is stuttering but with the rain over the last few days I have my fingers crossed.

PH
 
At the tail-end of the blackberry flow here. Only about 20% left. Quite a lost of wasp activity over the last two weeks so I think it's coming to a close here....
 
It's not over here until the balsam's had it's go. Last year it made a huge contribution. I had squadron's of the girls coming home looking like golden ghosts. There's still honey to be had I think.

Very little basketed pollen from balsam !
Balsam pollen is white and is unintentionally carried on the bees back LOL

John Wilkinson
 
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The very deep beautiful blue is most likely willow herb.

My flow is stuttering but with the rain over the last few days I have my fingers crossed.

PH

Thought it might be "snooker chalk blue" had thrown me...and nothing like the pollen chart. Silver grey one anyone?
 
Dick,
I will take off my remaining supers in the next week or so. Then Apiguard in August. Those colonies not on double brood will have supers put on to fill in Spetember - I hope - with Ivy later in the year or syrup as needed. Ivy honey is for the bees; I'm not too keen on it myself.
 

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