Bees Down by The Congaree River

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beekeeping

I have this theory. It’s about soil type, moisture, and water sources. These hives placed down by the Congaree River have all three.

 

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Honeybee Nectar Flow-Black Locust Trees

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beekeeping

Beekeepers, like farmers, still look outside in the natural world to gauge how to manage their honey crop. Black Locust blooming is a beekeeper sign to super up their hive for excess honey to harvest.

via Honeybee NectarFlow-Black Locust Trees — The Garden Diaries

Ready for the Nectar Flow

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beekeeping, management

These bees are ready for the nectar flow!

Winter Solstice for Bees

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management, swarms

Bees in March

Bubbling over

Beginning of bloom

The Winter Solstice means something different to beekeepers. It’s typically associated with the beginning of winter for humans. But for the bees it’s the beginning of spring. Very slowly, as the days lengthen the queen will begin an increase in the number of eggs she lays. On a colony level, for the bees, the goal is to have a full staff of bees ready to reproduce on a colony level (i.e. swarm) at the beginning of plant nectar and pollen production (best chance of survival). That means preparations such as brood rearing begin during the first months of the new year resulting in hives bubbling over with bees by March. But it has other ramifications for the beekeeper wishing to discourage that workforce from leaving. The beekeeper seeks to 1) encourage brood rearing while 2) protecting the colony from starvation as the bees feed ever increasing numbers of larvae, while 3) discouraging swarm preparations in the same time period. It’s like walking a tightrope!

Fall Flow

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beekeeping

Weight gain, white wax, and increased activity indicate a nectar flow. I’m taking a much needed break from maintenance feeding.

The Fall flow is officially on in my corner of Southeastern Lexington County. I went out to feed some of the lighter hives and noticed some white wax as well as some weight gain on hives since 10 days ago. As the day warmed the bees were definitely flying with intent with some congestion on the landing boards. It was a happy day indeed to be able to save some of that syrup until another day. I found a renewed interest in the pollen feeder which baffles me a little but may be a result of some increased brood rearing… I don’t know.