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Author Topic: What's flowering: Queensland  (Read 144169 times)

Offline max2

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #560 on: April 07, 2021, 04:53:01 am »
We had a couple of days with good rain - no floods here but solid rain - about 5 inches all up.
Today the sun was out for a while and the bees made good use of it.

Summer is coming back for a short visit with quite hot days.

The bees will love it.

Offline max2

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #561 on: April 15, 2021, 08:28:40 pm »
We had some wonderful Autumn weather here.
After some much needed rain we are enjoying days with a max of above 25C and the bees are loving it.
I checked some hives and the honey is still coming in. I won't be taking any off, leaving it all for the bees during winter and hoping for a strong start  to Spring.
There is a heavy, magnificent smell of honey hanging around all day and night.
It is very likley from the nectar from Euc resinifera ( Red Stringybark) which seems to be flowering just on time. It should keep going for a few more weeks.
The Stringy Bark has a reputation to fill the air with a smell  we all seem to enjoy.
The very positive part to E resinifera is that the tree produces not only quite a bit of surplus nectar but plenty of pollen too.
Sadly it does not flower every year.

Offline max2

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #562 on: May 01, 2021, 10:17:38 pm »
I checked on some hives...there is a lot of pollen coming in and some hives are full with honey.
'I could take more honey off but have time limits and will leave it for the bees. It will still be there if they don't need it.
The Flodded Gums are flowering. In some years they deliver a nice addition to the stores.
The road verges are covered in legumes - Silver Leaf Desmodium is in full bloom.

Offline Beelab

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #563 on: May 02, 2021, 08:36:37 pm »
Found this branch on the ground. Now I know what the bees are on. They are bringing in a lot of nectar and pollen.

Offline max2

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #564 on: May 06, 2021, 02:52:01 am »
Allways nice to see flowering gums!!
I hope the girls are bringing it home.

Offline Beelab

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #565 on: May 07, 2021, 08:36:23 am »
Sorry, the pic didn?t turn out as it looked. It?s flooded gum.
And the bees are bringing it home as if they are stocking up for the next 3 years.
Made some 4 frame splits 3 weeks ago in 8 frame boxes, and they already filled the empty 4 frames and built massive comb in the roof. In May? That?s not expected up here usually. But I only kept bees here the last 6 years.

I know of a strong melaleuca flow this time around down near the beach, where I keep a few hives.
But up here in the mountains, the flooded gum only gave little in recent years. It sure is big this year (Byron HinterlandJ.
There are some other big trees flowering, can just recognise the flowers with good binoculars, but they are not flooded gums. The top branches are dark like the trunks.
Maybe some red gum type?

Offline Bee North

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #566 on: May 09, 2021, 06:19:11 pm »
We had a fantastic year on the flooded gum but that was back in Early spring! Beautiful light honey.

We had almost 700mm of rain in August up here. The sun has been out now for a week but I cant see anything in flower yet. Fingers crossed something comes on before winter.

Enjoy the late flow gentlemen!
« Last Edit: May 09, 2021, 11:27:03 pm by Bee North »

Offline max2

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #567 on: May 24, 2021, 06:45:21 pm »
There is still a flow on here - I have to check a few hives.
The Flodded Gum is flowering - not sure if it is them which are producing.
We had a little rain in the last two weeks and the place is still green and warm - no frost to date and the bees will keep working .
I plan to check with a beekeeper in the next week or so and see what he has to say.
I travelled through Northern NSW on the wekend and spoke to a couple of beekeepers. Most had good rain and are looking forward to a positive Spring.

Offline Bee North

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #568 on: May 24, 2021, 08:04:54 pm »
All sounds positive Max...just more rain up here!

Offline max2

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #569 on: May 27, 2021, 06:00:35 pm »
Bee North - you must be sick of the rain by now.
I checked all my hives.
I got one dead out - a nuc which never performed very well.
many of the hives have built comb into the lid. There would be honey to take but it is late in the season and cool for most of the day - mid 25C yesterday.
Interesting what you find under the outer lids ( I use old lids on top of the hives to protect them from the weather.)
Under one lid I found 10 small frogs, under another a small snake and under quite a few some grand spiders.

SHB numbers are low in one yard, a bit elevated in the home yard.

I saw some drone brood - I wonder if this means we have a mild winter ahead?

I'm sure our bees know more than we do.

Offline Bee North

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #570 on: May 29, 2021, 03:15:41 am »
Hi Max
Sick of the rain...yes mate sure am and the girls more so!

I'm away again. I made sure they all had stores before leaving. It's amazing how much they differ. Some hives barely any stores and others had supers almost full. The hives were at equal strength 2 months ago.

I have a few hives only 5 k west of my main apiary at home and they all have drones at all stages. My home apiary only has drones in one hive out of 10. My home gets a lot more rain though at the top of the range and the queens have slowed down as a result.

"Snake under the lid" bet that one took you by surprise!


Offline max2

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #571 on: June 09, 2021, 07:34:02 pm »
We had a light frost on the river flat this morning.
Probably enough to kill off the Cobblers pegs and Bluetop.

Not sure if this will help the Blue Gum?

Offline max2

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #572 on: June 28, 2021, 02:28:58 am »
Back to a mild winter here.
We had some rain - very welcome this time of the year - but we are back to sun and the bees are flying and busy. The days are short ....but getting longer.
Time to make up more frames, supers...

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #573 on: June 28, 2021, 04:50:38 am »
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Interesting what you find under the outer lids ( I use old lids on top of the hives to protect them from the weather.)
Under one lid I found 10 small frogs, under another a small snake and under quite a few some grand spiders.

Max what kind of snake was under your lid? No kind is a good kind to find there :shocked: Was it poisonous? 
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline max2

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #574 on: June 29, 2021, 07:53:49 am »
Hi Ben,
I'm not a 100% sure what type, of snake it was - probably a harmless tree snake.

Still, it is not something to see every day when you work bees!

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #575 on: June 29, 2021, 10:04:25 pm »
Hi Ben,
I'm not a 100% sure what type, of snake it was - probably a harmless tree snake.

Still, it is not something to see every day when you work bees!


Agreed! I could not imagine! We have four poisonous strands here in America (USA). From what I have seen at the zoo, and understand, your country has its share of poisonous snakes as well.

I bet it did not take you long to inspect that hive?  :shocked: :cheesy: :wink: lol  Glad you were not bitten, even by a non posionious snake. 
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline max2

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #576 on: June 29, 2021, 10:47:09 pm »
Hi Ben,
we are in lock down here in SE Qld. A good time to assemble some more gear.

I have never been worried about snakes - quite like them. They do make you take a step back when you first see them. We have some very large, indeed huge ones here on the property. Some of the deadliest snakes call this part of the country home. We had a incident when a visitor was bitten by and Eastern Brown and he had to be flown out by helicopter. He was Ok later that day but it needed some quick action.

Most snakes I encounter get out of my way. I only handle those I know are not poisonous....and carefully.

You should see the spiders!

We used to have a lot of US students visiting ( from Pacific Lutheren Uni in Tacoma) and they needed a bit of encouragement to get of the coach.

I tell you about the Drop Bears another time.


Offline max2

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #577 on: June 29, 2021, 10:52:46 pm »
Ben, while I'm at the computer...
Here is a good reference for DROP BEAR.

The problem is that good Drp Bear country is also great bee country.

https://australian.museum/learn/animals/mammals/drop-bear/

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #578 on: June 29, 2021, 11:47:39 pm »
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They do make you take a step back when you first see them.

I am sure they do! It is the ones we do not see that causes my concern! lol 😂 Glad to hear your friend recovered from the Eastern Brown snake bite! Had I been the visitor been bitten I probably would have died from a heart ❤️ attack!  :shocked: :grin: :wink:
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline max2

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Re: What's flowering: Queensland
« Reply #579 on: July 05, 2021, 04:55:25 am »
The solution is : Don't  panic...DON'T PANIC