# IT's not honey flow weather here



## irwin harlton (Jan 7, 2005)

A cold winter ,a cold spring and now a cold summer, windy, gusts to 60 kilometers ,today with a high of 16 celcuis. Alot of canola is in bloom, no honey to speak of on hives,maybe 10 - 15 lbs.................. this beekeeper is suffering stress and the bees are idle because of the weather
Anybody else in the same boat?


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## Gregg (Dec 22, 2003)

I hear ya Irwin. I haven't looked at mine for a couple of weeks, I figured I was discouraged enough as it was. Not sure of the metric conversions offhand, but about 65 F here today with 30 mph winds. To make matters worse, very little clover around, all alfalfa has been cut, not much for bees to work anyway.


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## 123456789 (May 24, 2009)

Things are looking surprisingly good here. 1+ supers full already. Although with 6-7 weeks remaining it's too early to predict a bumper crop.
Spending a lot of time breaking swarm cells though.


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## Ted (Feb 20, 2000)

.................. and the bees are idle because of the weather
Anybody else in the same boat?[/QUOTE said:


> Irwin my Friend, I feel your pain, here in Northern New York its much the same along the ST Lawrence River I have hives that haven't come up into the 2nd hive body, I run all mine in 2 DD, Queens are laying a nice brood pattern ... it hasn't been good growing weather for bees cold nights and cool days or its raining.
> 
> this beekeeper is also suffering stress but look at the bright side.... there is always next year  Good Luck
> 
> Ted


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## suttonbeeman (Aug 22, 2003)

same here....after last two years 100 and 120 yr drought I knew clover would not yield. Great poplar/locust bloom....monsoon season made it a washout. Moved bees to Wisconsin....made some honey but getting dry and has been cool. With rain could still get a decent crop. Also Florida orange hurt by late freeze then drought....bees I left in Fl had 18 inches of rain in gallberry/palmetto flow...last 5 years production have been low with no bumper or really good crops!


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## rainesridgefarm (Sep 4, 2001)

My hives in southwest wi and northwest il are looking a little hungry. Some yards look good but not like the last 5 years.


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

I hear ya Irwin. A few nights ago it got down to 4 Celcius. Tonight if it clears, it could very well freeze. We are only 2.5 hours north of Winnipeg but it feels like we are in northern manitoba right now. Add to the hives woes a massive outbreak of lagus bugs and alfalfa weavels, not alot of blooms thanks to the floods last year and the bugs this year, and massive amounts of Madador and some cygone all over the place...could be the makings of a "wonderful" season:lookout:
Suppose to start to warm tomorrow...so they say!

someone need to rethink this global warming thing..


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## Trevor Mansell (Jan 16, 2005)

suttonbeeman said:


> same here....after last two years 100 and 120 yr drought I knew clover would not yield. Great poplar/locust bloom....monsoon season made it a washout. Moved bees to Wisconsin....made some honey but getting dry and has been cool. With rain could still get a decent crop. Also Florida orange hurt by late freeze then drought....bees I left in Fl had 18 inches of rain in gallberry/palmetto flow...last 5 years production have been low with no bumper or really good crops!


What part of Wi are you in?


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## The Honey Householder (Nov 14, 2008)

I was still feeding some 2 weeks ago. I found some this week that has 3-4 supers already. The soybeans are starting to bloom now. Everyone wants honey now, I only wish I had my first semi load off. Start pulling honey tomorrow.


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## suttonbeeman (Aug 22, 2003)

Trevor....I'm in redgranite....west of Oshkosh.I may need to clarify a previous post ...the five bad years on a row are here in KY. Ave crop in Wi last year, my first there. Where are you in Fl? I have come down for pepper a couple of times...if I had some locations I might want to this year. I hate to come back to ky in Sept, unload semi and spread colonies....have a 4 week nectar flow then nothing until I gather and go To Fl First of Dec. Know of any place I can find 4 pepper locations....then I could split and get my numbers up to 800-1,000 next yr.


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## Trevor Mansell (Jan 16, 2005)

suttonbeeman said:


> Trevor....I'm in redgranite....west of Oshkosh.I may need to clarify a previous post ...the five bad years on a row are here in KY. Ave crop in Wi last year, my first there. Where are you in Fl? I have come down for pepper a couple of times...if I had some locations I might want to this year. I hate to come back to ky in Sept, unload semi and spread colonies....have a 4 week nectar flow then nothing until I gather and go To Fl First of Dec. Know of any place I can find 4 pepper locations....then I could split and get my numbers up to 800-1,000 next yr.


Im in n.w. Wisconsin until Sept. Then I head back to Fl to split bees and try to make a pepper crop. I live in Sebring Fl just south of Frostproof. As far as pepper spots I dont know of any, I dont have enough for my bees especially if I make the splits I want to get done.


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## soupcan (Jan 2, 2005)

Sooo have you guys contacted Al Gore?????


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## soupcan (Jan 2, 2005)

Record low predected for here in Omaha next two nites!
Low 50's they are a talking.
I have not spoke with anyone that has a good crop on as of yet.
August I hope is hot & dry.
Problem is at this point the beans are so short there is not much plant to bloom!


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## suttonbeeman (Aug 22, 2003)

trevor....I stay just north of you n Avon Park during orange. I now winter/build bees in NE Fl away from spray in groves.


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## tedw200 (Mar 4, 2009)

can't complain 
have 2 hives, 2 hivebody 2 supper each.
july 3 rd harvest 38 quarts.
hoping for more next month.


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## NDnewbeek (Jul 4, 2008)

I am in much the same situation. It has been wet (which is good), but very cool here (western ND) all summer. I made splits in April and hived packages at that time. Maybe one or two is almost ready for a second deep hive body - very slow going. One new hive from a package even absconded after pulling 4 frames. We have some canola, wild alfalfa and now, goldenrod blooming, but no great quantities. I have pretty much given up on having any sort of honey crop this year. I am hoping for a big late summer/fall flow (safflower - and if I am lucky, also sunflower) to make up and get the hives ready for winter.

Mike


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

Well the sun finally came out today. The bees are high tailing it out to the fields to make up for lost time. The alfalfa is slow, but we are thankful that several producers decided to seed canola in the area. It is in bloom. The weather looks promising to Monday. However we know how the weather man is at his predictions.


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## doc25 (Mar 9, 2007)

It's been cold for sure can't believe it's July. I bought 2, 3 frame nucs this year and I think they are doing pretty well, they're in 4 deeps and 1 medium each so far. Alfalfa is starting to bloom but the bees aren't on it yet.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Many of you know me as being picky about some things.

I hope you don't have a HONEY FLOW, unless that's honey flowing from one container to another. But I do hope you have a good NECTAR FLOW. Nectar flowing into the hives from the flowers via the foraging bees. 

That's how I have always heard it refered to by beekeepers. Maybe it's a matter of perception or I don't know what. But I just thought y'all aught to know the difference.

All you long time experienced beekeepers,
how do you refer to the incoming crop? Nectar flow or honey flow? After all, it isn't honey until after the nectar comes in and is transformed by the bees.


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## Tom G. Laury (May 24, 2008)

I guess at the beginning I refer to it as a nectar flow, if it is major honey plant. Minor sources always.

But at the end of a major flow, supers filled and bragging over a beer, I migt refer to a good honeyflow.

It bugs me too when people use that term inappropriately.


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## Nan3902 (May 18, 2009)

And it helps when you use correct terms, since there are the "one hive wonders" trying to learn just what is correct.

Nancy


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## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

The weather has been bad here as well, coldish and lots of wind. We could use the rain but if we got some it wouldn't help either, unless it helps for the fall flow.
As the whether we call it a nector flow or honey flow, I guess we always refer to it as a "honey flow", correct or not. Cheesh, some people are _such_ sticklers for accuracy.:lookout:
I mean, really, it is "honey" that flows out of the extractor in the end. :thumbsup:
Sheri


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## 123456789 (May 24, 2009)

Every beekeeper I know refers to it as a honey flow, but what does "y'all" mean?


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

123456 said:


> Every beekeeper I know refers to it as a honey flow, but what does "y'all" mean?


I see you aren't from Southern Ontario, so I guess I can see why you would ask that question. 

Alright, I guess nectar flow and honey flow can be considered interchangeable terms. As long as we all understand what is being discussed.

 I said I was picky, didn't I?


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## mbholl (Dec 16, 2007)

A Calif packer/buyer said he's hearing very little honey being made in CA. Buckwheat looks good, but no nectar; sage flow didn't happen. Anybody else hearing about CA honey flow?

Saw several semi loads of supers heading out of state -- to Dakotas, they say. I hear so much talk of heading to Dakotas. Just curious, is there really that much open space to head to? Do the number of out of state bees going there effect the local beeks honey production? Trucking and extracting costs would take a big bite right off the top.


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## high rate of speed (Jan 4, 2008)

NO room here.
6 1/2 inches of rain and no heat since last monday.


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## beeman (May 27, 2009)

high rate of speed said:


> NO room here.
> 6 1/2 inches of rain and no heat since last monday.


There is room in my old shed now Mike. But not in the countryside for any more bees. The flow has shut down in our part of the state now too.


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## redbee (Dec 29, 2005)

Clover and alfalfa are blooming but no sweet smell,and not putting off any necter.I never thought I would say too much rain in SD this time of the year.We need some hot dry days to make a crop


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## Bud Dingler (Feb 8, 2008)

in my area its off and on and depends greatly on location. one large river bottom area I have 500 colonies in bees are working on supers 4 & 5 and they have not started on the massive bloom of sweet clover yet. the savior this year had been the basswood flow - best since 2007. 

SW Wisco is bad this year after last years boomer crop - there is not much in bloom and few hives with more then one super filled. 

last year with similar cool weather the hive scales went crazy the end of July. my prediction is an average crop yet for most areas but it will be a late crop in the next 21 days for the wisco, mn, iowa region.


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## John Smith (Jan 31, 2006)

Prepare for a reversal in the weather come the third week in August. If it is too cold now it will be too hot then, if its too wet now, it will be too dry then, and vice versa. The wind will be either too strong or too light! The extremes seem to be the order of the day. A little reprieve in the weather patterns commences in September, so be prepared for a little flutter of honey then.

Fortunately, there are always a few days in a few areas that are balanced and good for nectar no matter how the pendulum swings. 

Don't forget where you heard it!

Cheers,

JohnS


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## beeman (May 27, 2009)

John that is one thing that is for certain in my part of SD. It will get dry and hot eventually. In the past it has been too soon. I am looking out the window this morning and see fog which is crazy for mid-July here.


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## Tom G. Laury (May 24, 2008)

My friend in ND says conditions are still hopeful for sunflowers and canola. Yesterday he mentioned yellow sweet coming up through grass and blooming, that is totally out of whack compared to normal. I'm going to load a truck and give it a whirl. In two weeks they start killing bees here in Cal.


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## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

Is the color or flavor of yellow sweet clover different than for white?
Just curious, as we suddenly find ourselves in a big white clover area. We get very little of it up here near the home yards.

John started pulling honey this past week and they have done amazingly well considering the weather. Must have turned on the past week or so....here's hoping it continues.
Sheri


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## Matt Beekman (Dec 15, 2007)

Tom G. Laury said:


> In two weeks they start killing bees here in Cal.


What? Can you expand upon that?


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## Tom G. Laury (May 24, 2008)

Hi Matt!
Hope you doin OK.
Down here Fresno county the planes get fired up starting first week of August. Lygus is migrating to cotton. Worm & weevil pressure is building in alfalfa. There has been a long enough period for pests to build to economic levels.
Irrigated has its pros & cons.  

Wow they looked so good when we were pulling honey.
Helps you weed out the #2s.


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## The Honey Householder (Nov 14, 2008)

Pulled 331 supers. supers still a little light. 33 lb avg. per super. 
Had full day of rain, probly lost 5 barrels of honey today. Only got 2/10ths. If it is going to rain, I wish it would just do it.:waiting:


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## irwin harlton (Jan 7, 2005)

*Re: white clover*

White clover is an important honey plant. White clover honey is considered the best quality honey. It is the standard to which other honeys are compared. In many areas it is the principle source of nectar for the production of surplus honey. The best yields come in seasons following a year of excessive rainfall. In wet years the conditions favor the rooting of thousands of new plants, which are ready to produce a crop of nectar the following summer (Pellet, 1976).


from http://entomology.unl.edu/beekpg/tidings/btid2000/btdmay00.htm

have noticed that stuff growing profusely in pastures, ditches, while driving from beeyard to beeyard


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## akbees (Jul 13, 2009)

1st year beekeeper in Alaska, I pulled a medium of capped honey, it tastes incredible. They've been covering the clover on my hillside and ignoring the fireweed. I can't believe I haven't seen them on the fireweed. I let it run wild in my garden and they're all over the yard and the neighbors' yard. They just began cleaning pollen off the himalayan poppies that have been blooming for 3 weeks. Odd little critters, they have their own preferences.

Now it's blowing and raining in the middle of the nectar flow, egads.....
http://web.mac.com/thomja/iWeb/Site/Blogtime in Alaska/E5111BB8-746C-4F2C-8E5D-50986947B09F.html


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## beeman (May 27, 2009)

*Re: white clover*



irwin harlton said:


> White clover is an important honey plant. White clover honey is considered the best quality honey. It is the standard to which other honeys are compared. In many areas it is the principle source of nectar for the production of surplus honey. The best yields come in seasons following a year of excessive rainfall. In wet years the conditions favor the rooting of thousands of new plants, which are ready to produce a crop of nectar the following summer (Pellet, 1976).
> 
> 
> from http://entomology.unl.edu/beekpg/tidings/btid2000/btdmay00.htm
> ...


I believe JohnK and Sheri were referring to white sweet clover, which appears later in the year than yellow sweet clover. As far as nectar is concerned, I believe it is the same as yellow, but I would refer to the 1926 book _Honey Plants of North America._ by Pellet for confirmation. I have the book, but not with me currently, and would recommend it to anyone that is really interested in the types of plants and how they relate to honey production. It is somewhat outdated but is still a relevant reference manual.


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## Tom G. Laury (May 24, 2008)

The yellow comes and goes in a fairly short period while the white will bloom for months. White sweet clover is the moneymaker in a good clover year.


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## Beeslave (Feb 6, 2009)

JohnK and Sheri said:


> .
> 
> John started pulling honey this past week and they have done amazingly well considering the weather. Must have turned on the past week or so....here's hoping it continues.
> Sheri


Same thing here. 2 wks ago I made my rounds and found very little honey(compared to what it should be). Today I took my van to make some checks and was just amazed to find most of the hives had filled 2 shallows(I guess I will be visiting them tomorrow with supers in hand).


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

HOney is comming in here, Southern Manitoba,

We missed the massive rains, so far anyway, and got what the crop needed.
The canola is real late, and later making the honey pull this year real nice, well, that is if it rains sometime soon, and it warms up a bit , and doesnt freeze in Aug.

Going to start pulling end of next week, or maybe beginning of Aug. Any rate, this is a real strange year, and late for me. 
But the calender doenst matter right now, I just have to take while the taking is good, and worry about the short season when it ends


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## Bud Dingler (Feb 8, 2008)

yellow clover honey is darker colored then the white sweet clover and in my region not what most of us would call white honey. 

yellow seems to only produce in the wet years while white sweet clover produces nectar almost every year here in the SW Wisco area. 

many plants provide little nectar when flowers first open up. for example in wisco/mn I see white sweet clover blooming around July 1st most years but the main flow from it is around the 21st although this year and last season things are running 7-12 days late. from my many decades of experience I can say that its the later stages of plant life that yields the most nectar. timely rains in the later stages can prolong the nectar flow. 

there are some nectar sources like buckwheat that this delayed nectar flow is not true, but sweet clover for sure and also locust and basswood in my region follows this pattern. i speak from the midwest and my experience here, perhaps other locales see something different....


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## irwin harlton (Jan 7, 2005)

"I can say that its the later stages of plant life that yields the most nectar." -Bud

I agree, canola seems to have to be half way through its bloom stage and well into setting seed before the flow becomes intense, depending upon the year and the weather of course. Honey flow has picked up considerably,only one or two nice days and alot of windy, not too hot days


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## Gregg (Dec 22, 2003)

Well, here we go again; late July/early August supposedly the hottest time of the summer, and our high temps are supposed to be in the upper 60s/low 70s for the next week. Currently 66 F with 20 mph winds. Had a couple of weeks of pretty nice weather (mostly in the 80s, even over 90 once, for only the second time all summer) where the bees made a little progress, but still not a lot around for them to forage on. Planning on starting to take honey off towards the end of the week (what little there is), maybe August will be better?


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## irwin harlton (Jan 7, 2005)

North American honey crop reports up to 4 th week of july, that I am hearing from beekeepers, will drive up the price more, this adding to the already world shortage of white honey, what you hearing?

Started extracting.......it can only get better if the weather improves


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

If we actually do have a shortage of liquid honey produced in North America, that won't necassarily result in a higher price. But we can always hope it will. Unless you have to buy honey in order to keep your customer base.


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