Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: tjc1 on July 31, 2017, 04:24:59 pm

Title: Pepper bush is blooming and bees are at the humming bird feeders
Post by: tjc1 on July 31, 2017, 04:24:59 pm
Following my post about my hives not gaining any weight and no honey in the super, the bees are bringing in lots of pollen, I can see the pepper bush blooming on the other side of the brook, and yet for the first time the bees are all over our hummingbird feeders...?!?!
Title: Re: Pepper bush is blooming and bees are at the humming bird feeders
Post by: GSF on August 01, 2017, 04:07:30 pm
They found the feeders first(?) You might could take the feeders down for a couple of days and that may redirect them.
Title: Re: Pepper bush is blooming and bees are at the humming bird feeders
Post by: tjc1 on August 02, 2017, 12:00:02 am
In 5 years they have never bothered the hummingbird feeders - it clearly seems that they are not finding sufficient nectar in the environment, but I'm stumped about what is going wrong this year.
Title: Re: Pepper bush is blooming and bees are at the humming bird feeders
Post by: BeeMaster2 on September 04, 2017, 01:11:22 pm
Just because a plant produces flowers it does not mean they produce nectar. Our gall berry season was really weak this year.
Jim
Title: Re: Pepper bush is blooming and bees are at the humming bird feeders
Post by: Acebird on September 04, 2017, 05:02:13 pm
Quote from: tjc1 on August 02, 2017, 12:00:02 am
In 5 years they have never bothered the hummingbird feeders - it clearly seems that they are not finding sufficient nectar in the environment, but I'm stumped about what is going wrong this year.
The summer has been too darn cold and rainy so the plants went right to seed but not large yields.  The only thing that is growing by leaps and bounds is cold weather crops and grass.  I see a lot of golden rod now but it isn't sticky.  So lots of pollen but no nectar.  It could be a bad year for my bees even though they look pretty good right now.
Title: Re: Pepper bush is blooming and bees are at the humming bird feeders
Post by: tjc1 on September 04, 2017, 09:02:54 pm
Bees here busy on the abundant Japanese knot grass. seemingly for nectar, and clematis, seemingly for pollen (they sip at the knot grass and just run busily over the clematis stamens). I have started to feed 2:1 as a precaution and to boost hive weight heading into winter.
Title: Re: Pepper bush is blooming and bees are at the humming bird feeders
Post by: Acebird on September 04, 2017, 09:34:46 pm
Quote from: tjc1 on September 04, 2017, 09:02:54 pm
Bees here busy on the abundant Japanese knot grass.
It is usually a good nectar here too but if it was coming in your feed would be ignored.
Title: Re: Pepper bush is blooming and bees are at the humming bird feeders
Post by: tjc1 on September 04, 2017, 10:15:16 pm
No, they are sucking down the 2:1... Reports from all around this area is little honey production and hungry hives... :cry:
Title: Re: Pepper bush is blooming and bees are at the humming bird feeders
Post by: Acebird on September 05, 2017, 08:48:32 am
Quote from: tjc1 on September 04, 2017, 10:15:16 pm
No, they are sucking down the 2:1... Reports from all around this area is little honey production and hungry hives... :cry:
That is what I said.  If there is nectar they will ignore the feed if there is no nectar they will take the feed.
Title: Re: Pepper bush is blooming and bees are at the humming bird feeders
Post by: tjc1 on September 05, 2017, 09:34:04 pm
Quote from: Acebird on September 05, 2017, 08:48:32 am
Quote from: tjc1 on September 04, 2017, 10:15:16 pm
No, they are sucking down the 2:1... Reports from all around this area is little honey production and hungry hives... :cry:
That is what I said.  If there is nectar they will ignore the feed if there is no nectar they will take the feed.

I was agreeing with you - I probably should have started with 'Yes...." instead of "No,..."! :smile: