# How Can I Tell When There's A Nectar Flow?



## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

You can open a hive and if there is a flow, most strong hives will have lots of fresh, light colored beeswax, near the top of the frames and as small pieces of burr comb on and around the top bars. And if you tip a comb on its side or give one a gentle shake, lots of nectar/unripened honey will drop from the comb.

If you don't want to open a hive, just place a comb of honey/nectar/sugar syrup, out in the open, where it can easily be accessed by foragers, and if it doesn't cause a feeding frenzy where it is somewhat damaged in the process of being cleaned out in a few minutes, then your area is most likely in a nectar/honey flow.


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## TriJim (Mar 11, 2011)

Keep a hive on a feeding scale and weigh daily. Our clover flow just ended and maybe not much for the bees until goldenrod. Good luck.


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## DeeAnna (Nov 5, 2010)

...corn ... in bloom....

Uh, are you seeing corn tassels, maybe? Corn "blooms", such as they are, are deep inside the ear. 

PS A tassel is the male part of the corn plant. The ear is the female part.


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## alpha6 (May 12, 2008)

Just do a shake. If they are bringing in nectar your comb will be filled with fresh nectar that day.


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## frostygoat (Jun 3, 2008)

If they stopped taking feed that is a good sign, yes. You can take your feed off and consider adding a super.


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## Clay (Feb 18, 2011)

I'm fairly close to Owensboro. This is my second year, but I've talked to some old-timers around here, and we haven't had much of a flow at all. Some of them are thinking it may just be a long slow flow instead of the normal fast flows. That, or we're having a bummer year, and Fall is our only shot at making honey.


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## roostershooter7 (May 26, 2011)

Clay said:


> I'm fairly close to Owensboro. This is my second year, but I've talked to some old-timers around here, and we haven't had much of a flow at all. Some of them are thinking it may just be a long slow flow instead of the normal fast flows. That, or we're having a bummer year, and Fall is our only shot at making honey.



I was thinking the same thing. 

We were flooded during the regular nectar flow in spring, and the only thing that bloomed around here was dogwood, ornamental pears, redbud, blackberries, fruit trees, and clover.

However, I seeded 2 acres with white clover, and it has been around for 2 months now.

Will they draw nectar from white clover?


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## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

One of the things I notice are my Hummingbird feeders. When the flow is slack, I see a dozen or so bees going for the sugar water. It is not usually until this time of year around here. Sometimes I'll see them in the morning, then they disappear. I'll go look at the hive entrance and there is a flurry of activity. Seems as if a large source just opened up and everyone is going out. Just MO in addition to the others.


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## Ben Franklin (May 3, 2011)

DeeAnna said:


> ...corn ... in bloom....
> 
> Uh, are you seeing corn tassels, maybe? Corn "blooms", such as they are, are deep inside the ear.
> 
> ...


The Tassel on top of the plant not the ear of corn, silk draws the pollen to the ear.


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## indypartridge (Nov 18, 2004)

One clue to a nectar flow is just watching the way the bees leave the hive. During a flow, there is much more activity of bees entering/leaving, and when they leave, they fire out of the hive like bullets.


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## valleyman (Nov 24, 2009)

Roostershooter, and Clay,
I'm experiencing the same here in central Ky. In my opinion there is just enough flow to fill their needs as of right now. I still have several supers that are either partially filled or full and not capped. Rain washed all the nectar away in the spring. Hope for lots of aster for the fall. We almost always have goldenrod, just differient strengths of flow. Good luck!


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## franktrujillo (Jan 22, 2009)

most of the time when feeding they'll stop taking it when there's a strong flow.be careful not to make them swarm by feeding to long and not providing room also when you feed and wait till they stop taking they will have sugar water stored mixed with nectar.They call that adulterated honey can't sell it.in early spring when i see them hauling in pollen i stop feeding.but that's on a good year since you have all the extra rain hope for a dry fall, should be a strong nectar flow.


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## Clay (Feb 18, 2011)

roostershooter7 said:


> We were flooded during the regular nectar flow in spring, and the only thing that bloomed around here was dogwood, ornamental pears, redbud, blackberries, fruit trees, and clover.
> 
> However, I seeded 2 acres with white clover, and it has been around for 2 months now.
> 
> Will they draw nectar from white clover?


The bees are definitely still working the white clover where I live, but it's not a flow. I've heard the clover will give nectar late into the fall. It's encouraging to know you seeded 2 acres with white clover! I don't usually hear of things like that, and many beekeepers here are upset with farmers who always mow over their clover. They tell me sweet clover is the best honey clover, but it's not as common as it used to be. I'd look into it if you're planting clover.


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## Clay (Feb 18, 2011)

valleyman said:


> Roostershooter, and Clay,
> I'm experiencing the same here in central Ky. In my opinion there is just enough flow to fill their needs as of right now. I still have several supers that are either partially filled or full and not capped. Rain washed all the nectar away in the spring. Hope for lots of aster for the fall. We almost always have goldenrod, just differient strengths of flow. Good luck!


Thanks valleyman! That Spring rain was enormous. I don't know much about aster or if it's common here in E-town. Goldenrod is already starting to bloom here though. I'm looking for a good location to move several of my hives just for the goldenrod. Do you know if goldenrod can make a good honey flow? How many acres of goldenrod would it take if so?


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