Scale update

The hive scale was at 315 lbs today. I added a super. It now weighs 330 lbs.

checked supers tonight

I checked supers in a few of my beeyards tonight. My first load bees had three supers mostly full. I added two supers each. The hay field in that beeyard was blooming and hopefully if it doesn't get cut I should easily get two more supers off of it.
My other bee yards were second load bees that got put in a week after they were delivered. Most are moving up into the supers and starting to put up some honey.
All of the population numbers were looking great.

Hours this week

Natures Nectar will be open Tues 4:00 to 8 pm. Closed Wed - Fri. Open Sat 1 -4.

Hive Scale Update

I checked the hive scale tonight and it is up to an even 300 lbs.
There is still swarming going on. From over wintered colonies to packaged bee colonies. I am sure the heat and if the nectar shuts off for a while the bees can get that ramblin fever. My colonies are still bring in nectar at a good pace. I am hoping that this nectar flow has some legs to it and will hopefully last into August. The rain we have been getting has kept everything green. So the plant life is under no moisture shortage.

Spotted Knapweed

Spotted Knapweed is a noxious weed and should not be propagated. Having said that, this nectar producing weed is in full bloom around the metro area. This weed makes a butterscotch tasting honey. I do get many people asking for this type of honey.

Bees Hoarding Instinct

This is the time of the nectar flow I try to use the bees hoarding instinct to my advantage. This hoarding instinct is a survival trigger. They will do everything they can to save as much honey as possible. Putting extra supers on the hive gives the bees the incentive to fill them up. As the supers start filling up, the bees may slow down bringing in nectar as the available storage area decreases. Giving the bees more supers keeps the honey coming in if it is still available. If you go to your hive when you pull off the supers and they are all full, this usually means the bees would have filled more, given the opportunity.
Remember new supers with foundation are put under drawn out supers right on top of the queen excluder.

The flow update

I have been getting mixed news on the nectar flow. Some folks getting a huge crop and other not so much. The strange spring set us back but has given time for the package bees to develop nicely. There is still honey coming in to my hives in Stillwater. Hopefully the flow has picked up around the state.
My hive scale is up to 270 lbs as of tonight. The bees are hot and hanging outside the hive.