Winter... Later and Later

[BrianO]

Hive I have in Yard at Work.

Incredibly prolific Swarm baited in June ( drew and filled to edges with Brood and Honey 10 Foundation frames in a standard national , only given 1 drawn.

Drew 2 Supers from Foundation and filled and capped both 2/3rds full.
Drew an additional 2 supers from foundation and filled 1 complete on the Ivy flow.

Today, piling in and out, heavy Pollen loads from more than one source.

Video here on my FB page taken today..15 minutes ago https://www.facebook.com/leinsterhoney/

 

[REDWOOD]

They are certainly making use of the mild weather and some yellow pollen

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Bees seem to be behaving no different to any other year.

 

[Erichalfbee]

We never have winter in December
Snow is more likely on Easter Sunday than Christmas.
Late January and February are when winter comes
Of course there are historical exceptions

 

[BrianO]

Agree, but surprising as to the volume of incoming Pollen, breaking cluster at elevated temperatures at 12 degrees of course is normal.

Winter used to be mid November / December and on here , remember the norm was hard cold for spells of course intermmitent milder spells. Though forage would have been over at this stage years ago due to the weather.

 

[Griffo]

The Met Office predicted a cold winter, so what can you expect?

 

[madasafish]

The Met Office predicted a cold winter, so what can you expect?

A cold winter?

http://www.express.co.uk/news/weather/742699/Snow-UK-weather-forecast-coldest-winter

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Getting fed up with turning the heating down every other day.

 

[Ely]

A cold winter?

http://www.express.co.uk/news/weather/742699/Snow-UK-weather-forecast-coldest-winter

Same nonsense they come up with every year.

 

[BrianO]

Ditto.

5 Days with great accuracy, beyond that .. Tea leaves are excellent as is Aunt Wilmas crystal Ball.

 

[Robbo8916]

Been to a walled garden to see about putting hives there next year. Popped in to mine on the way back and they are flying like the clappers again today just li!e yours. I don't know where they are getting pollen from but there was a lot coming in.

They're falling over each other to get in and out.

 

[REDWOOD]

I predict a wet winter with some sunshine and the possibility of snow and hail with the occasional dry days. Temperatures will become cooler in the night and early morning but will rise during the day. wind will be gusty to gale force at times with the possibility of structural damage. Long term, next summer will have the occasional warm days with a high pollen count. Short term, look out of your window

 

[BrianO]

Bloody Brilliant.

I would add during the early part of next June I predict longer days with sunrise in the mornings.

I can categorically say that the sun will set after 6.00pm and that sunshine hours will be on average the norm during a short term window of 1.05pm to 1.06pm on the 2nd of June.

 

[rook66]

Hive I have in Yard at Work.

Incredibly prolific Swarm baited in June ( drew and filled to edges with Brood and Honey 10 Foundation frames in a standard national , only given 1 drawn.

Drew 2 Supers from Foundation and filled and capped both 2/3rds full.
Drew an additional 2 supers from foundation and filled 1 complete on the Ivy flow.

Today, piling in and out, heavy Pollen loads from more than one source.

Video here on my FB page taken today..15 minutes ago https://www.facebook.com/leinsterhoney/

Hard to beat genetic diversity, My best colony ever was a swarm of local mongrels, very gentle, outshone all others for four years, I still use it as a benchmark as to what a colony should and could be.

 

[BrianO]

How true.

I have 18 colonies going into winter, but this swarm ( see initial post here ) are by far the star performers of all my Bees , ticking all the boxes.
I will use as for Breeding in this Apiary ( currently they are sited alone, but will have further colonies here ) and as a reference colony for future grading of performance, as they have been a revelation to me.

 

[chrisb]

Ditto.

5 Days with great accuracy, beyond that .. Tea leaves are excellent as is Aunt Wilmas crystal Ball.

if it gets colder here Aunt Wilmas wont be the only one with a crystall ball