# Can you tell if bees are bringing in nectar? Is the nectar flow here?



## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

The bees have been bringing in pollen for almost a month now. The last few days grass has just started turning green, cherry trees, Bradford pair and forsythias have bloomed. 

When will the nectar start coming in? Can you watch the bees and tell if they are bringing it in? The hives smells good like a busy hives are they drying nectar? About 1/2 the incoming bees have pollen, would the other half have nectar or are the coming back empty handed?

It seems everything depends on the nectar flow. With everything coming early because of the mild winter. I don’t want to lose a swarm. When is it safe to do splits? Do I need to get the swarm traps out or can I wait two weeks?

I have read about swarms in TN already.


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

I don't know your area but bee's with nectar come in looking "heavy" and sometimes land first, then walk into the hive. Many pollen bearing bee's fly right in or land / walk at the same time. Of course, you can open the hive and look for stored nectar. Regarding splits, I like to do splits when I see a close to normal population of drones. By then, I've determined which hives will need to be split (or that I want to split). Around here, the dandelions are blooming along with some apples. If I were to bet, you might have nectar coming in and you might be able to split. Someone familiar with where you are would be a much more accurate source of info!


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## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

Their honey stomachs will be full. Their abdomens will be fatter. Keep your eye out and you will see the bees coming in versus the guard bees or similar. It is not as much size as it is shape IMO


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## A'sPOPPY (Oct 13, 2010)

people seem to overlook maple as a nectar source during above average temperature springs. I checkerboard and mine have really been storing nectar at alarming rates. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_American_nectar_sources_for_honey_bees


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## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

take a frame and shake the bees off. If a flow is on it will shake out as it is still like water.


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## gjd (Jan 26, 2011)

Rick 1456 said:


> Their honey stomachs will be full. Their abdomens will be fatter. Keep your eye out and you will see the bees coming in versus the guard bees or similar. It is not as much size as it is shape IMO


Just remember that when a girl asks you "does this nectar make me look fat?", be careful about your answer. Or wear your bee suit.


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## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

:lpf:  Me thinks full Metal Jousting suit. 
"The Nectar bearing girls" will look curvy and voluptuous. 
Yeah, that's better


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

"take a frame and shake the bees off. If a flow is on it will shake out as it is still like water."
I've been feeding sugar water so this will not work.

Just saw some dandelions today and redbuds, and there is alot more that i dont know the name surely some of those produce nector.

I started looking last night and some were plumper ther others (I mean more curvy and voluptuous then others)


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## theriverhawk (Jun 5, 2009)

For me, I judge by the dogwoods. They put out a little nectar. Once they start blooming here, I get the supers ready. They are just starting to open blooms, so the supers came out of moth crystal storage and will be airing out the next 2 days. Saturday, they go on!!


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## MDS (Jan 9, 2011)

I'm north of the river in KCMO and I don't think we have a nector flow, or at least anything significant necessary to draw wax or store more than they consume. I feed three hives today that were light so I'll have to see how quick they take the feed. When the flow starts they seem to slow down taking the sugar water. For me it seems that when the black locust trees bloom it's on.

They have not capped anything new or I'd see the white cappings which suggests no nector flow has been on. I'm watching my observation hive inside the house and don't see them storing extra nector yet.


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## Scrapfe (Jul 25, 2008)

A worker bee's honey stomach is just aft of her wasp like waist, so I "spect" you would need to judge the width of her hips to get an idea of the size of the nectar load she is caring. Just don't let her catch you staring.


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## c10250 (Feb 3, 2009)

The best way to tell if your hive is bringing back nectar is to weigh it. A hive on a hive scale can tell you a lot about the hive. If you don't have a hive scale, check NASA's honeybeenet in order to determine the flow in your area. Here's what I found from Lafayette MO. It appears your flow starts a bit after day 120.


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

wow nice chart thanks,
there is a fall flow in sept too.
what a difference between 2010 and 2011

http://honeybeenet.gsfc.nasa.gov/images/SH_Sites/Higginsville/2010/Higginsville,MO_plot.png

With the mild winter over the flow could be here now


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## D Semple (Jun 18, 2010)

FlowerPlanter said:


> The bees have been bringing in pollen for almost a month now. The last few days grass has just started turning green, cherry trees, Bradford pair and forsythias have bloomed.
> 
> When will the nectar start coming in? Can you watch the bees and tell if they are bringing it in? The hives smells good like a busy hives are they drying nectar? About 1/2 the incoming bees have pollen, would the other half have nectar or are the coming back empty handed?


I'm on the south edge of Kansas City, checked 6 big booming hives today, lots of fresh nectar coming in and being stored. If I had to guess I would say my bigger hives are up 15 - 20 lbs. in the last 2 weeks. Went ahead and opened up the broodnests some and added a super to each. No new wax making started yet that I could tell, but it should follow shortly. Wish I had one of those hive scales. 

To warm, mother nature is teeing us up regards 

Don


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## MDS (Jan 9, 2011)

I had not seen any new wax being drawn out yet north of Kansas City but now that the fruit trees have started to bloom that may change soon. Suppose some in the KC area may have more early nectar producing plants within range of the hive than others. If Stillwell is in nectar flow I'd think all in the KC area would also soon be.


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## USCBeeMan (Feb 7, 2009)

When you see new white or yellow comb. Usually you will see it on the top frames of the top box as burr comb. The flow is going pretty good here though I don't know what specific flowers are contributing the most. In just 2 days I have frames that were heavy with nectar that are now almost 100% capped honey and/or honey. There are lots of new capped honey with white comb. Has to be a nectar flow for getting white capped honey comb. Has to be a pretty good one when frames are filling quickly with nectar/honey. 

Opened up some hives to find 3 sometimes more of almost 100% capped honey in the top boxes. 

Having said all of this. The major flow is yet to start. Usually around May 1st. But tulip populars should open shortly, Gingko, coffee trees any day now. Redbuds are in full bloom at the same time. Holly bushes are starting to bloom with most to be open in the next few days. Holly seems to be a major source of nectar.


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