# When do you know the honey flow is on?



## Montana Bee (Feb 1, 2011)

When does the honey flow start? Is it when the girls are bringing in pollen? During my last inspection I saw syrup (I'm feeding) in the cells. I also saw a bee with it's head buried in a cell. Was it cleaning out the cell? Should I quit feeding pollen patty now that the girls are hauling in their own? 
Thanks, John Q


----------



## NasalSponge (Jul 22, 2008)

As far as when the flow starts that is so local it isn't even funny, what I mean is I could have a flow on now and a beek 10 miles away may not, but I can say that pollen is NOT a sure indication of a flow. The bees stick their heads in cells for lot of reasons.


----------



## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

Lots of extra white wax in the hive, Lots of nectar being stored, The smell of honey when you walk past you're hive.


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

When you remove a comb, shake it, and nectar showers out of it, the flow is on.


----------



## hilreal (Aug 16, 2005)

When you place a food source out sugar water, honey combs and they ignore it............


----------



## topdog17 (Apr 6, 2009)

When the bees are blowing out of the hive like they were shot out of a cannon!


----------



## Brent Bean (Jun 30, 2005)

When you learn the nectar sources in your area you will see the blooming plants and trees and know it’s time.


----------



## c10250 (Feb 3, 2009)

One other thing you can do to tell a flow is on is to purchase a cheap platform scale. I purchased mine off of craigs list for $40. Daily weight measurements are a lot of fun. It's even fun to see changes in weight throughout the day. For example, how many pounds of foragers you have out at any time of the day. You can definitely tell when a flow is on. I put a new hive on a scale this year. 



There's no doubt when the flow hit. The hive put on 8 lbs yesterday.










A good source of information is also honeybee net by NASA. They are located at http://honeybeenet.gsfc.nasa.gov/

Try to find a location near you and check out their hive-scale data. From Wolf Point Montana, I found this (THE RED LINE IS HIVE WEIGHT NORMALIZED). It looks like their hive lost weight through mid July:


----------

