JUNE 2024
Well I have never known such a disappointing spring in my 14 years of beekeeping!
This time last year I was harvesting a huge spring crop of beautiful pale spring honey, this year I have no chance of harvesting any spring crop at all, and I am still feeding 3 out of my 6 colonies!
One of the benefits of being in an association is being able to share experiences and every other beekeeper I have bumped into recently says the same thing. My assessment of the situation (but interested to hear others’ views):
- Hardly any frost over winter, brought an early spring (e.g. Hawthorne, aka the May tree, flowering in April!)
- In the meantime, it has been too cold for bees to fly and collect honey and nectar
- High rainfall also preventing bees from flying and washing nectar and pollen out of the flowers
- A mild winter and high rainfall also creating a bumper crop of slugs and snails!! As a gardener and veg grower this is having a detrimental effect on many of my plants that would normally provide some food for my bees
There are hints that the weather may improve in June, I really do hope so!
1. What is going on in the hive?
The hive should be building up strongly now, in terms of the number of bees, and the stores in the hive. If it isn’t, then have a good look through to make sure the queen is there, she is laying and that there are no signs of disease. Cast a critical eye over stores also – think about what is there, what the existing colony is going to need to survive. If in doubt, feed a 1:1 syrup.
2. Check your hives
Keep on doing your regular inspections – at least every 7 days. There have been a few swarms about but not a deluge as we had this time last year. Colonies could still swarm into June and July, particularly if the weather improves so it is important to keep checking for queen cells and be prepared to act if you see them. If we do get a dry spell over the next month, make sure your bees have a water source nearby.
3. Check the larder
As already mentioned, many normal May flowering plants have been and gone already – but other flowers are well advanced this year. I have roses blooming already, sage, rock roses, dianthus, ox eye daisies and geraniums. I have a Portugal Laurel nearby in full flower and I saw some blackberry flowers recently. It has also been a particularly stunning year for rhododendrons (shame they are also not useful for honeybees!).
Enjoy your bees, and fingers crossed the weather improves from here!
