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BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DOWN UNDER BEEKEEPING => Topic started by: max2 on January 14, 2017, 03:13:20 am

Title: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 14, 2017, 03:13:20 am
Well,
it has been hot here on the Sunshine Coast and even warmer not far inland.
After some severe hailstorms on the 1. and3. December 2016 we lost a lot of flowers and buds BUT the Rough Apple is flowering and the Lemon Myrtle is doing well. After some much needed rain some of the groundflora also is starting to kick in - Cobblers Pegs, always reliable and offering nectar and pollen.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: kanga on January 14, 2017, 03:20:26 am
In the hinterland of the Gold Coast Spotted Gum has been flowering on some of the high ridges and have noticed several bloodwood trees in flower.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: SlickMick on January 19, 2017, 08:16:14 pm
The Buckinghamia and the Leopard trees are now coming into full bloom and will keep the girls happy for quite a while around Carindale.
Mick
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 19, 2017, 11:48:16 pm
Tes, Leopard trees er out here too and the Lilly Pilly's are doing well.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Rhino86 on January 22, 2017, 08:40:49 pm
I was wondering when someone would create a what's flowering Queensland topic :)

On the ground cover plant with little blue flowers this morning, a blue bee with black stripes was working. How awesome I thought! a Blue-banned bee. My first encounter.
I've got a leopard tree and a yesterday, today and tomorrow in close proximity, I heard the smoothing hum of bees this morning, looked like the honey bee, not sure which variety.
Pumpkins have been opening their flowers early in the morning and close around 11:00 and tomato's are flowering.
Orange and lime are flowering.
Ghost gum (i think) I've got two large ones, too high for me to see the flowers with the naked eye, the rainbow lorikeets enjoy their early evening gathering as I read bee books. As well as Yellow crested cockatoo's

Back in September, my front yard was humming for approx. 4 days as 100's of honey bees worked on the olive tree. Thanks to their work, it's the best amount of olives I've seen in years.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Kevcook on January 23, 2017, 03:05:24 am
I live in a valley pretty much surrounded by native trees as far as I can see, the apple gum finished flowering a week ago and now there are heaps of iron bark in fill bloom.

Kev
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Kevcook on January 30, 2017, 08:26:20 pm
I just wanted to add that the black wattle are now flowering and I read my last post which said 'iron bark'  :shocked: (senior moment) my mistake it should have read Blood Wood which is still flowering, the iron bark finished 3 or 4 weeks back.

We also have a few Brazilian cherry trees that are beginning to flower and the bees love them. 
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Lone on January 31, 2017, 11:42:13 am
This is a big topic, Mr Max.  Queensland is a big state and it changes from one road to the next. 
There is not much out at the moment I don't think.  The bloodwood buds up at this time of year, but nearly every year the buds fall without flowering.  I've seen them flower twice.  I haven't worked out whether it's the rain or the dry which stimulate them, or something else.  Our bloodwood grows from suckers underground in any case, so they don't often feel the need to feed my bees.  They are the majority of the trees round here and I think they are the gum-topped bloodwood.  Ironbark has a few buds, and they are completely unpredictable.  Often the buds will fall too, but they can flower at any time of year or all year, and then not for a few years.  I think it's called narrow-leafed iron bark.  It's not even worth checking the grey box as that only flowers with rain (i.e. almost never).  There are no parrots around which is the main indicator of gums in flower.  Bees are living on stores I guess!  They have to be as tough as all other living things in this country.

Where are you, Kev?  Probably a little south of here.  I haven't checked the black wattle, but they are not far away, in the creek.  I think they are mainly a pollen producer.  What breed of bloodwood and ironbark do you have there?  Had any rain?  We had a couple of inches early Jan then only 3mm yesterday so things are drying off again.  There's still a month or two left of the wet season, so I won't be packing and heading north to Tully just yet.

Lone

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Kevcook on January 31, 2017, 10:58:33 pm
G'day Lone, I'm 1.5 hrs north of Bundaberg, still plenty of blood wood flowering and the parrots are all over them atm. I went to Emerald on the week end and noticed plenty of blood wood in flower along the way, also some tee tree starting to bud up south of Rocky.

We haven't had much rain, enough to keep the place looking green but no run off yet, we need it as the dams are starting to drop fast.

Kev
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 06, 2017, 04:49:14 am
We took some honey off today. Some hives where full but in most cases frames had to be selected with some care.
Lots of ground flora flowering but I can't see any euc's in our valley. The recovery will take a good while after the hail storms.

The bees where busy and calm - something is keeping the happy!What would we do without weeds!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Rhino86 on February 18, 2017, 05:05:11 am
Last weekend was a cruel two days. 41 on Saturday and 42 on Sunday. The well watered Blueberry even was scorched and reduced  5-10mm from around the edge of the pot. Three pumpkin vines refused to live much more then a few weary green leaves.
Sunflowers love it though, hardy buggas. Least the king parrots haven't caught a look at them yet.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 05, 2017, 09:49:49 pm
For people in Qld - if you wonder what is growing in your Shire, NP or forestry - have a look here: https://environment.ehp.qld.gov.au/report-request/species-list/

Brilliant!!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: SlickMick on April 13, 2017, 12:00:52 am
I don't know what's flowering in the rest of Queensland, but around Carindale in SE Brisbane something with white pollen is. The girls have been bringing pollen and nectar in furiously and have backfilled the outside frames in the brood box. So are they building up numbers or building up stores. It's my guess that with our shortening days they are getting ready for our colder months.

Mick
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: kanga on April 13, 2017, 05:47:45 am
Driving around the Gold Coast & Hinterland today and noticed a lot of tea tree heavily in flower, might be where the white pollen is coming from.
Kev
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 25, 2017, 06:15:04 pm
We had a little more rain and the temps have still been in the high 20' s of late. The weeds are still keeping the flow on. The wild Pepper is about to flower. I have a Paulownia and it  is flowering - very much out of season.

I'm still seeing the odd snake and they should really be tucked away by now. A sign of a warm winter ahead?

A chilly morning forecast for Friday and mild days ahead...the bees are still very busy.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on May 16, 2017, 07:00:51 pm
We took off about 350kg of honey this week. No idea what is flowering? Anybody has an idea?
I have checked with other beekeepers and some have no honey while others are doing very well.My bees are near the Mary River - just km from the source.
Rain coming in a couple of days. Looks promising for clover in a few months time.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Anybrew2 on May 17, 2017, 04:07:40 am
Thats awesome Max2, what do you reckon you got per Super? I rob my Bee's a couple of weeks ago a bit later than usual and they are bring in loads of Nectar here to. Even thought about robbing again in a few weeks as the Iron Bark is flowering and some Gums.

Cheers Steve
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on May 17, 2017, 07:27:20 am
We averaged about 16 kg per hive.

This will be the last harvest for the season. Winter here is very short and generally mild. They are telling us that we should get about 20 to 40 mm of rain in the next few days. This would be perfect as rain in late May generally means Clover in late Winter into Spring. White Clover here is great for nectar AND pollen and will stimulate the hives. We could start splitting as early as August - September.

I'm getting ahead a bit here but it looks like  a positive few months ahead.
I will be spending Winter making up more nuc boxes, supers and frames .
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Anybrew2 on May 18, 2017, 05:39:19 am
16 kgs is awesome I was around 12 to 14 in my eight frame deeps. Its quite warm here and in the afternoon I can smell the Honey in the Hives. I will leave them alone so they can have an easy Winter and have a good start in Spring.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 09, 2017, 04:31:14 am
A weird early winter here;

No frost so far and we are hoping for some rain in the next few days. Nothing serious but maybe enough to keep the clover happy.

Not much flowering but the bees where busy today. Checked on a few hives and the population is too high - to many moths to feed. A sign of a mild winter? Again!

If the hives can keep the population up it could mean a strong Spring - here is hoping.

Still seeing snakes around and the Swallows had their young out a week ago. Is this "Normal"?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 28, 2017, 07:04:10 pm
We checked all the hives yesterday.
All are alive some are too strong. An issue with Italians - they keep on breeding and eating even when there are few flowers around and the stores dwindle.
All had enough honey in the brood box to see them out till Spring - I hope.
Even saw some SHB. We are now having such mild winters - no frost anymore where I have the hives and yesterday it was 27C...and this is mid winter.
Tallowwwod is budding up on the hill and if we get some rain the clover will be just perfect.
I'm making up a lot of nuc boxes. I think I'm ready for Spring. The demand for nuc's this year is even greater then last year. A busy time ahead.

We are a bit inland along the Mary and my guess is that place along the coast and Brisbane way Spring has arrived
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 10, 2017, 06:29:37 pm
Is this the end of winter? Temperatures for the next week are supposed to ramp up to 31C. This is still supposed to be winter.

If it was not soo dry a lot would flower but I have no idea how plants will react to this event?

Paulownia's are flowering not far from here. It odes not look promising for rain and without rain the Clover will be disappointing and without Clover we will be limited how many splits we can make.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Anybrew2 on August 11, 2017, 03:39:55 am
Early 20's here and dry as,there is canola flowering but there is none near me. I'm hoping for some rain to kick off the season. With this warm weather and lack of food I could see strong colonies starving real easy around here. I didn't rob my Bee's that hard so they should be ok.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on August 12, 2017, 10:41:58 pm
All goooood here in the subtropics, bees are going flatchat with combs fuller
than ticks on a bull's bum going uphill!
Darwin teetree is in full bloom (yummy honey), the mangoes are about done
with some late bloomers - in time really but yeah, tis a weird year - and the lychee
is getting to 100% open. Open woodlands trees should start any time soon and
the few travelling BKs we see have delivered their hives in anticipation.
Not a boom year as such but certainly a lot earlier blooms than most years past.

Cheers.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on August 16, 2017, 05:06:59 pm
http://www.bobthebeeman.com.au/african-tulip-tree-ebook.asp

A "heads up" for this monster problem now well in bloom in the tropics.
What the article fails to mention is this plants affinity for seeking out water
in shallow earth, it loves underslab moisture and sewage lines which weep.
As I recall the initial reason it was banned in suburbia.... way to late for
it's escape into the scrub around domestic populations.

You see it you own it... c'saw the bassid    :angry:

Cheers.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 23, 2017, 07:42:30 pm
The Holly Basil has just about stopped flowering and I have pruned the bushes back. We planted 100's of them on a steep slope. Dry as at the moment. They would flower again if we would get some rain.
I found a small branch from a Euc on the ground - possibly E saligna or E grandis[/i] ( Sydney Blue Gum or Flooded Gum) - I have to check. The branch was covered in buds - far from ready to flower but still good to see.
The Jaboticabas are flowering and the bees go crazy over them. We have quite a few large bushes/small trees and it is wonderful to see and listen. It won't fill any hives but it is a positive - some hope.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: PhilK on August 24, 2017, 12:30:58 am
Not sure what is flowering in Brisbane proper, but we are getting a lot of honey coming in with fresh white wax being built in all our hives around the city and suburbs
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 29, 2017, 03:56:28 am
Just noticed that the Native Rasberries are coming out - poor flowering.

The mist weed is nearly finished. The bees generally like it but I saw no bees on them. It is so dry - the Mary River has just about stopped flowing.
No clover to be seen.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on August 30, 2017, 09:58:48 am
Yeh, like..
Bees working the lychee like mad things, pollen wise it has to be the bottlebrush and lantana
getting a workout. They are hitting the avocados but cannot see them gathering pollen offn 'em
which they usually do.


Cheers.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 31, 2017, 04:16:58 am
Lantana? I don't think I have seen bees on Lantana here... I always believed that Lantana was of no value to bees at all here. Could you please have a close look?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on August 31, 2017, 06:52:44 am
Lantana? I don't think I have seen bees on Lantana here... I always believed that Lantana was of no value to bees at all here. Could you please have a close look?

Yeh, like bindii (soliva sessilis) it is a stop of last resort,  but as a
first forage after a heavy dew you will find them working it.
Maybe they are chasing water with the pollon being an accidental
load.. when I see a bagged up  bee I'll surely shoot it, no worries ;-)

Cheers.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 18, 2017, 04:56:24 am
It is very dry here. We had no decent rain for months.
We missed the clover and with it the chance to get some early honey and make lovely splits.
Very few swarms around.
The White Cedar is out - a bit of pollen - if we are lucky.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: felmo1 on September 18, 2017, 09:29:26 pm
Hello Max!  Silky oaks flowering and Goyas and Bleeding hearts are nearly flowering in.  Very dry here in Montville but bees seem to be finding enough to keep busy.  Have noticed a lot of them foraging the grasstree flowers and euphorbias which are abundant atm also.  Euphorbias are good value in dry times as they are so hardy.  I prune them harshly when they are getting a bit scraggy and they are off again in no time.  They seed easily and would complement your holy basil hill I reckon.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 19, 2017, 07:41:33 am
Hi felmo,
No Silky Oaks flowering here as yet. maybe  14 days behind.

I have to try the euphorbias - even the Holly basil is struggling - thanks for the suggestion. I guess the deer and roos would not eat them either. What a bonus.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: felmo1 on September 19, 2017, 08:20:56 pm
Hi Max, I will pot half a dozen euphorbias up for you, our pleasure  Have just inspected the frames and they are looking good, I think.  Will pop out with the plants when they are ready.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 20, 2017, 04:45:38 am
Great! Thanks.

Would you like some Holly basil or Rosemary plants? I have been propagating them here and can't do any planting in the dry.

I had a look at some hives today and they are looking quite good.

Yesterday I did the Spring check on a mates 7 hives and some even had some honey in the lid. You figure!

The weekend is going to be hot....no rain.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 12, 2017, 07:42:53 am
We had about 66 mm of rain two weeks ago and the EVERYTHING is flowering. We just took off 300 kg pus of honey off and the flow is just starting. The jaboticabas are just wonderful at the moment...some gums, Lilly Pilly and even the weeds will flower soon again.
Looks like more rain is on the way. fantastic.

All too late for lots of splits. We missed the Clover - sad about this but at least there is hope again.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 19, 2017, 09:29:15 pm
Here at Crystal Waters - on the upper Mary River we had 244mm ( about 10") of rain .

While it washed out some of the blossom it will do a lot of good for the longer term. The Euc's will recover and should be budding before long. May get a normal season next year.

The Jaboticaba's have finished but the Brazilian Cherries are still flowering and the Silky Oaks are in full bloom.

There are some Iron Barks out. The Grumichama's  are just starting and the E. torreliana is about to flower.
More rain predicted for tomorrow.

The dams are pretty well all full. We may get a decent season after all.

Anybody have some news on Brush box?

All too late for splits
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 28, 2017, 05:43:12 pm
Went to the Bee Expo at Imbil. The Brushbox are flowering on the Imbil side of the mountain - not yet on the South side but it looks like it will start soon.

I t has been a good few years since we had bruhbox flowering nicely here.

Looks like a good flow coming on.
We have the Waterhousia along the river too about to open up.

The beekeepers I meet at the Expo were all happy and positive.

The difference some good rain makes!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 01, 2017, 05:59:07 pm
Well, that rain we  had two weeks ago has made a huge difference.

The Grumichamas are flowering and the LillyPillie's are just a ball of flowers. The BrushBox is still holding back here. Is it flowering in other parts of Qld?
I have seen it flower at Imbil.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 12, 2017, 04:08:59 am
The nuc's are coming along nicely - will be making up some more this week.
Jacaranda is still flowering here.
Lilly Pilly is just about  done.

Brush Box is coming out - looks promising.

Waterhousia is just starting and thanks to the cooler temps and a few showers some clover is flowering.

A good flow on right now.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 09, 2017, 09:32:39 pm
A good flow on here at the moment.

Angophora is out and the good old Cobblers Pegs are doing well ( belive me - it is great honey and the bees like it for pollen too)

Bloodwood is out in some areas too.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 21, 2017, 05:07:34 pm
We are having rather exceptional weather for bees at the moment.
Good rains a few weeks ago got things rolling. Blood wood is flowering, Broad Leaved Ironbark is about to flower in some areas as is Grey Gum, Stringybark, Swamp Mahogany and Wild may - Wild may is doing well but there is not much around. The Lemon Scented Teatree is out and Lemon Myrtle too.

temps have been rather mild - no heatwave here so far and urban areas shoulstill see some Clover and the Flatwweed likes thes conditions too. They all help.

Some rain predicted in a few days and this will keep it all going. Bless the Cobblers Pegs - they are flowering everywhere!!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: felmo1 on December 27, 2017, 05:43:03 pm
Agree with Max2, a lot of flora flowering at the moment.
One sign I use is if I can hear fruit bats flapping around at night when I venture outside at night it is usually a sign that there is a good nectar close by.
Bees are bringing in a pollen from a range of different sources.  Pollen colours from pale cream to bright yellow/orange.

I notice that the large leafed privet trees are coming out in flower along the roadside,  Are they a good source of nectar?

Hoping the good weather continues.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 29, 2017, 01:09:58 pm
Privet is reported to be more of a nectar pplant " with bitter honey"  see here: https://books.google.com.au/books?id=b0h8CgAAQBAJ&pg=PT223&lpg=PT223&dq=large+leaved+privet+-+bees&source=bl&ots=Js1bH92_4C&sig=jT-Z-lnXn3nDKFE_sflvkF1CjFs&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjE9aHM2q_YAhWHUrwKHUxpBqMQ6AEIVjAK#v=onepage&q=large%20leaved%20privet%20-%20bees&f=false

We don't have any here in the valley but plenty up on the range near maleny.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Russ on December 29, 2017, 10:24:19 pm
x
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Russ on December 29, 2017, 10:53:56 pm
Sorry for the previous post attempt.

I have Ligustrum lucidum (broad-leaf privet) near to my hives. I am in my first year, but so far the honey appears to be light and sweet. Also I have Angophora prolifically flowering in larger numbers which may affect the product. I have had one commercial beekeeper say that the honey from broad leaf privet around here is good honey. I have come across several local recreational beekeepers that have exposed their hive to a small leaf privet, possible Ligustrum sinense or Ligustrum vulgare that claim the honey is terrible and unsaleable. I had noticed that their hives were located amongst noxious weeds such as lantana and crofton weed. I am also curious to other views from people with first hand knowledge of Privet Honeys.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 30, 2017, 03:47:38 am
I only know about Privet what I read and refered to above.

As far as " noxious weeds" is concerned - some produce some of the best honey around.
I wish Lantana was offering something to bees but here the bees don't work it at all. We got plenty!!

We have been taking honey off at the moment. Lighter then usual for this time of the year. No Bloodwood as far as I can see or taste.

We took honey off 3 weeks ago to the day and some hives are totally full. Even hives I took splits from.

A late season here but a good one. The rain made all the difference.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 05, 2018, 09:33:57 pm
Lovely to see the Lemon Myrtle out in full boom.

You can taste it even in small numbers. Interesting and honey from this period always sells fast.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 11, 2018, 07:00:49 am
Just noticed that the Angophora is budding again.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 15, 2018, 03:56:43 am
Bloodwood is out!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 18, 2018, 03:02:02 am
It has been warm and dry here. Good time to make my lasy batch of nuc's. Lots of brood and lots of pollen.

We need a bit of rain here to give the weeds a kick-along. There is still a flow on and time to take some more honey off.

Weaping Tea Tree starting to flower. What is flowering in your part of Queensland?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 27, 2018, 12:29:45 am
Very humid here but no rain so far.

I have planted well over 1000 Holy Basil plants and the bees loving it. Not much flowering. We need good, steaddy rain. A very late Wet again.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 28, 2018, 03:27:34 am
We had excellent rain here - late, but the best wet we had for a few years.

A few gums are budding up - Grey Gum, Flodded Gum and Blue Gum - lookin g positive for the next few months.

If we get more rain - and it looks like it, the soil moisure should take us into Autumn and Winter.

I hope the West got some rain too - they sure need it
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: felmo1 on March 01, 2018, 02:04:47 am
Always hard to determine what is flowering or about to flower where we live.  The trees are too tall for me to obtain a good look.
But last weeks storm that came through had the some positive outcomes.  There was a lot of buds developing on the fallen branches.  Mainly grey gum and blue gums. 
Bees are still bringing in pollen from somewhere but expecting a good nectar flow from the main trees in 3 weeks or so.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 09, 2018, 04:09:26 am
We had a lot of rain and showery days - not good for the bees in the short term but promising for Winter and Spring - great soil moisture.

We have the Rain Trees flowering and the bees love it.

Coblers pegs are wonderful for beekeepers. They will flower after rain - give them 10 min sunshine and they are out. We have acres and acres of these on hillsides and gullies. The bees love them and will collect nectar and pollen. In a good year, and enough time without rain we will get a surplus and the honey is fantastic - one of my favourires.

If we get some sunshine, the conditions are pretty perfect this year.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on March 09, 2018, 06:06:24 am
We had a lot of rain and showery days - not good for the bees in the short term but promising for Winter and Spring - great soil moisture.

Yes it would be nice to see some sunshine although the girls seem to be working in between the rain so there has to be some decent sources around for them to make the effort to go out. Seems like we have a decent shower come through every 15mins or so. We've had from 30 to 50mm of rain every day this past week......over it.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 10, 2018, 06:52:48 am
We run a beekeeping workshop here at Crystal Waters today.

Wave after wave of showers but we managed to open a few hives and saw a couple of queens. No honey coming in but plenty of pollen. Very few drones and I wonder what this means? Still plenty of time before it cools off and I would have expected a decent population of drones to hang around. I guess the bees know something we don't.

Showers predicted for another week. The bees will hang in there.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on March 10, 2018, 07:50:03 am
Very few drones and I wonder what this means? Still plenty of time before it cools off and I would have expected a decent population of drones to hang around. I guess the bees know something we don't.

Showers predicted for another week. The bees will hang in there.
Maybe no freeloaders (drones) going into the so called winter? Maybe a bit cooler up there still bringing in a bit down here in the tropics  :happy:
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 10, 2018, 05:27:14 pm
Palmwoods would be a bit warmer than we are in Winter - at least towards Hunchy.
I used to live in Nambour and had bees there too. No frost.

Mind you, we have not had a frost worth talking about for years.
I can remember many years ago we measured minus 16 C. I doubt we will see this again.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on March 10, 2018, 06:09:27 pm

I can remember many years ago we measured minus 16 C. I doubt we will see this again.
Are you sure you have the number right? minus 16C??? You would need serious snow on the ground for a substantial period of time plus a windchill factor to get to minus 16C a frost never gets that cold.
The official coldest temp for QLD was minus 10C back in 1961.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 11, 2018, 03:37:07 am
I better check this with the fellow who took the reading of a min/max thermometer:)

Personally, I have measured min 6 C here at CW. It was quite common to have to break the ice on the water throughs.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 16, 2018, 01:44:49 am
Perfect day here today - 29C-  a lovely Autumn day and the bees are flying like crazy. Was this a whiff of honey I could smell? Imagination? Wishfull thinking?

The Rain Trees are out. Some consider it a bad weed, the bees love it. The same with the Cobblers Pegs. Thanks goodness for weeds during these testing times.

More rain on the radar for next week
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 28, 2018, 02:03:03 am
Had a Bee keeping friend calling in - the Ironbark is budding about 50 km N from us here.

Warm here again and the rain/showers have gone for a while. Bees are busy .
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 01, 2018, 01:23:42 am
A sunny day for a change - the Flooded Gum's are out. The bees are busy. More rain  - so we are told.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 14, 2018, 07:14:36 pm
We had a bee workshop here yesterday - the last one for the season.

As part of the workshop we have a look and see in a few hives. Participants like to see a few queens.
There is little honey coming in - nothing capped but lots of brood.

Very few SHB  ( had to open extra hives to find some to show)

Weeds like Bluetop and Cobblers pegs are flowering and various Sub-Tropical legumes. And rge Senna but bees do not work it here.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on May 06, 2018, 06:37:24 pm
We had a couple of good weeks with no rain and warm enough for the bees to fly - and they where busy.

The Sub-Tropical Legumes are out and the bees are working them. The Silver Leave Desmodium is going mad here along the roads and hills.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on May 06, 2018, 06:52:28 pm
Yes it has been great weather (for a change) my girls are flat out as well.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 09, 2018, 12:46:44 am
It is not even the middle of May and I have just seen the first blossum on the Blue Gum. This is early. It generally flowers here in July.

Lots of budds and it will be interesting to see how well and how long it flowers. All promising so far.

We had some rain again this week and having enough soil moisture generally points to clover flowering well later in winter.
I will keep you posted.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: beepro on June 10, 2018, 03:44:48 am
It is not even the middle of May and I have just seen the first blossum on the Blue Gum. This is early. It generally flowers here in July.


Don't you mean not even in the middle of June?   The last time I check we're in early June already.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 10, 2018, 04:37:35 am
Yes, " middle of June"
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on June 10, 2018, 10:32:50 am
Yes, " middle of June"

Well, for accuracy???
We are in Approach mode for the winter solstice, 21 June.
Carnt wait here, too b'dy cold, frosty even at night. ;-(

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 16, 2018, 02:41:52 am
Well, the Blue Gum is in full bloom around there and the bees are busy.

On the way in to the Witta market early this morning there was frost in places and they say that it will be colder come Monday. I'm rather surprised as the soil is very moist and the days have been warm to see frost.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on June 18, 2018, 05:52:40 am
Mate tomorrow is meant to be even colder they are saying 5 here so you will be much colder up your way. Hope you have the fire on tonight.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on June 18, 2018, 06:38:43 am
Mate tomorrow is meant to be even colder they are saying 5 here so you will be much
colder up your way. Hope you have the fire on tonight.
Plunging here too....forecast is just north of five.
Buuut only three days to the solstice so it will go up in no time in
the days after that. :-)))

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 22, 2018, 06:23:04 pm
I was slashing grass on the river flat - old, tall stuff the cows did not eat - lots of bees on the Cobblers Pegs and the Blue Top. In the past we would have had a week of frost by now - at least. This would kill the Cobblers Pegs. Looks like a very short winter. It was around 25C here yesterday and they say we may get a little rain during the week. That would be a bonus.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on June 22, 2018, 06:43:55 pm
Yes same here lots of bee activity. Have a wild native bee hive in a shed post (it's an old shed and only standing cos the termites are holding hands) and filmed them bringing in lots of nectar and pollen yesterday. The pollen looked huge compared to the size of the bee. I would post it here but I have no idea how to add video or pics as the "insert image" icon doesn't seem to work for me.
Cheers
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 03, 2018, 04:44:18 am
We took a road trip to Yamba last week - travelling via Kilcoy - Gatton - Warwick - Stanthorpe and then to the coast and back via Glen Innes - Inverell - Towoomba - Esk and home. It is very dry out there. Most of the area had no decent rain since last winter. These are pime honey areas in a good season.  The Coastal area to close to Kilcoy is quite green as we had no real frost so far and some welcome rain.

The Blue Gum are in full flower and the weeds are holding their own. There is definitely honey coming in and the bees are busy on warm days.

A cold front coming our way by Monday.
Clover is growing.


Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on July 03, 2018, 09:36:59 am
I was down Victoria a month ago Ballarat, Bendigo, Swan Hill, and it was drought down there, not a blade of green grass to be seen. Gone beyond brown has turned that white colour. The contrast to here with all the rain we have had was quite sobering. Looking to be a good season up here with the occasional rain that we are getting.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 16, 2018, 08:13:08 am
I checked about 10 of my hives today. It was a nice, warm and calm day. About mid 20's C. Not bad for a winters day.
3 hives are stuck down - the bees have built comb right into the lid. I left them for another day.
Some of the others have pretty well filled all frames.
There is plenty of brood at all stages. I even saw a few drones and 3 drone cells. Well, 3 cells don't make a Spring but this is the middle of July?!
The Blue Gum is powering on. It has a pretty long flowering period  and will kick on. A few Ironbarks' are out too.
By August we should have Clover if the soil moisture holds.
Looking good!
I have never taken honey on July but may have to if the warm weather keeps up - it won't...

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on July 19, 2018, 07:26:01 pm
That weed with purple flowers is in full roar everywhere
here... purple pollen, wooohoo!

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 19, 2018, 11:48:54 pm
Purple pollen? Is it blue top - Ageratum https://www.google.com.au/search?q=ageratum&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiT682c1azcAhXFzLwKHeMmDNsQ_AUICigB&biw=1769&bih=786#imgrc=UJ6trZtx0bu2-M:
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on July 21, 2018, 07:42:48 pm
That weed with purple flowers is in full roar everywhere
here... purple pollen, wooohoo!

Bill
Patersons Curse?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on July 22, 2018, 06:16:57 am
Dunno fellas... it's a passive weed so never had my attention much.
I am going up to the yard tamorra so I'll get some piccys.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 23, 2018, 04:31:40 am
Went for a walk along the river today ( the Mary River)

Peaches and Nectarines are flowering and a weed - Devils apple (?) and there is a lot of it. On the River Flats the Cobblers Pegs ahve been burned off in the last frosts but Clower is starting to move - promising.

Glycine which has grown high up into trees is also still flowering. The bees love it.
Blue Gums are still powering on.

The smell of Honey is in the air.

I hear from the Montville area that drones have been noticed in numbers in hives.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on July 23, 2018, 06:24:51 am
"The smell of Honey is in the air."

...got a yarn about that, read on :-))

Soooo...attached hopefully is the purple weed I was on about, a new one on me,  it is still going hard
with new brackets clustered all over so it should last a while. Funnily enough there were no bees seen
working it but it was a bit late in my day by the time I got to grab some. Both colonies own significant
deposits of what I assume are it's pollen.


Long have I maintained bees are like mossies in that they are everywhere at all times just that they are
not so obvious, particularly scouts.
Today I was reminded of the evidence of truth in that.
In contrast to any of that I am a bugger for names, actually a tad dyslexic I reckon, buuut I do fancy
myself as a somewhat amateur horticulturalist specialising on those 'harder' plants to propagate, the
ones which require grafting or marcotting to get a pup out of.
Soooo today I had some grafts to do around the apiary (5 acres), and in the process what happened
flicked a memory of what power melted (ing) old comb has for bees.
Grafts set I heated up my brew and began painting the tapes, within 30secs I had 4 bees in tow.
Another 20minutes or so in finishing up I had the better part of 50+ hitting on me for a handout!
This is not new to me as it happens often buuut it triggered the memory of the lengths some go to
in building apparatus to attract bees. Not all were my bees as those are bright golden yellow and
hairy, and among this crowd were well dark bees of differing sizes.

So, when it is known there are flows on all around - "the smell of honey is in the air" - yet these
scouts are straight onto my brew!!
That alone has to illustrate the attractant power of fresh laid old wax, yeh?

Bill

--


Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 23, 2018, 08:02:21 am
Good story - thanks!

And the plant is Ageratum.

Down South it is sold as a border plant. I assume it is a Dwarf Selection.
Here it is a weed - also known as "Billy-Goat Weed" - cows will not eat it. Indeed I doubt that a Billy-Goat would touch it.

It is a sign of degraded soil. If you keep a horse long enough in a paddock all you will have left is this plant.
Did you say Purple Pollen? I always seen it as more greyish but I will call it purple now. Sounds much more exciting:)
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on July 24, 2018, 06:30:08 am
Hey good one Max... without you Costa types [Gardening Australia - ABC TV]
us philistines would be propagating Prickly Pear!!
Muchos Graitas!
Your posts are valued at this desk, believe. :-)))
Indeed BGW is growing profusely [now] on what was cattle country for
decades, now busted up into 20 to 5 acre lots for the refugee cashed up
mohecians (sp?) from Cairns, those escaping the Tourista influx post maybe
1997/2000. How long both flower and mandrift last, who knows, heh.

Not one to argue colour perspective it is just so prominent in cells as to take
the eye, factoring in I am only doing a "one plus two equals five" in thinking
the pollen is from BGW :-))
Our mangos are about to bust so it's time to clear the decks in order to
separate that honey from the year's turnout. Some love it!

Cheerio..

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Jburkey on July 24, 2018, 09:23:38 am
Do bees actually work mangoes much? This is my first mango flowering season in Queensland since moving from Victoria. We have 6 mature mangoes at our new place. Need to get ready if they do, especially seeing as it'll be following the bluegum flow.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 27, 2018, 12:52:44 am
Bees do indeed work  Mangoes but :  http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2015-06-12/new-study-shows-flies-not-bees-are-mango-farmers-best-friend/6540674
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 07, 2018, 02:46:08 am
The Blue Gum keep on flowering and the flow is on. I checked some hives on Sunday ( about 10 days after harvest) and frames I extracted about 10 days ago are approx 1/4 to 1/3 capped again.  From most hives I took 8 frames of fully capped, Full Depth frames - about 15 kg in each case and left 2 full frames plus all the honey in the brood box for the bees. You never know when winter returns:)

Blake/Roff in " The honey flora of Qld" say that Blue Gum can deliver up to 40 lb of honey per hive. We seem to have these conditions this year.

Worth to remember - the Blue Gum's flowered heavily after a long dry spell, followed by good and soaking rain followed by an above average warm Winter.

We took honey off and I made a total of 9 splits so far - no more for a while as the weather has cooled. I checked 3 of the nuc' s I made up on the 29. July and two had a number of Queen cells but one had none. I transferred  one of the spare ones into the one missing a cell - bees and all. No fighting at all as has been my experience in the past as well.

6 nuc's are in a different yard ( made on the 6. August) and I will check these on day 12 or close to it so that I can move any spare cells to nuc's needing it. Hoping for some warm, clear weather so the queen can mate successfully.

A bit of rain would be most welcome now to get the Clover  going.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Jburkey on August 11, 2018, 08:57:29 am
The blue gum is definitely looking great, smelling great also. As long as i keep hearing the lorikeets in the morning im happy. Am i correct in thinking tallowwood is also going? Lots of rough bark eucalyptus going around gympie at the moment. What's normally next up gympie way?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 11, 2018, 08:20:16 pm
The Blue Gum will keep going for a while yet - it needs a bit of rain. Tallowood is going strong.

Up Gympie way - it depends on the soils and if you are E or W of the Highway. Generally I travel via Imbil, Kandanga  - don't see much of the coast.

Glycine is flowering in frost-free areas. The frost knocked it back in low areas. There should be some Grey Ironbark and some Narrow Leaved Ironbark coming out. Scribbly Gum on coastal areas and White Clover on better soils. From now on we will depend a lot on rainfall to keep things moving.

( your location says " Melbourne"?)
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on August 13, 2018, 04:07:41 am
Mango/Citrus/Lychee/Avacado and on top of that the corn patch chose to bud up at
half height! Now the work starts in getting rid of all that darn honey, bummer. :->>>
Nights are dropping to low teens yet it's high twentys low thirtys by lunchtime.. weird!
Dry as too.. no rain.


Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Jburkey on August 14, 2018, 08:03:43 am
Ah must have forgotten to change my location after i moved. Im not far from imbil. Same side and same sort of forests. 
The tallowwood is going off just around the exit to maroochydore. It glows in the morning.
We get frost here and never noticed any glycine around here but I'll keep an eye out. My mangoes are going but i haven't seen 1 bee even near it. Then again if i was a bee I'd be going the bluegum at the moment.
So if some bluegums haven't opened up yet but massive buds will they still go soon or needs rain, or drop bud completely?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on August 14, 2018, 08:01:46 pm
My mangoes are going but i haven't seen 1 bee even near it. Then again if i was a bee I'd be
going the bluegum at the moment.

The day Man can figure bee preference by season us b'keeps will be wholly engaged
doing the Scrooge McDuck dive!
We put in a half dozen or so swamp bloodwoods when we moved here 3 years ago, they
are having their first burst right now, brilliant displays we hoped for but the bees won't
leave the avacado or lychee only a dozen metres away!
On mangoes... in our outyard there is a small grove of Nambok Myer now done as forage
but again for the second year running barely a mango set despite a magnificent display.
The original >49yr old 'Commons" are groaning with peas, and a second bloom coming
on which will likely fail due to foggy mornings.
So everybody this year and last shagged the Commons into fruit yet ignored the much more
spectacular Nambok flower spikes. Bees gotta be wearing Raybans(ttm)!

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 15, 2018, 02:46:33 am
JB - you are not far from us. My wifes family had settled in Imbil ( Zillman mob). You are close to Norm - a big beekeeper. You know that Velley Bees meets at Kandanga - just down the raod - every second Sunday of the month. On the 15. September the big bee meeting is on again in Imbil.

We don't know that much about Blue Gum. I have not come across a beekeeper yet who has seen such a heavy flowering There are still plenty of buds yet to open up. We are getting some fog in the morning and I would expect that the trees  are soaking up every drop at the moment.

We have been taking more honey off - sadly the extractor stopped on us - maybe a switch issue. Absolute pain.

You are in Glycine country. You will see it along the roads, growing over fences. It is less popular as cattle feed these days but it is still around.

eltalia - I hear that the Mac farmers can't get the bees to pollinate their trees - the bees seem to prefer the Blue Gum.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Jburkey on August 15, 2018, 07:34:57 am
Im never heard of Norm. Do you know his last name? Yeah i try to get to the meetings as often as i can but I'll be going to the imbil day.
And yes, you're right i have seen glycine. It's all over my property ive just noticed. But the frost has gotten to it. Which is good because i hate the stuff.
Im really hoping this flow keeps going. This is my first season with bees up here and never saw anything like this in Vic. It's impressive.
I know mine are going straight to the bluegums. Every bee that leaves the hives are going straight to a big one we have.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Jburkey on August 15, 2018, 07:44:16 am
Where abouts are you? My mangoes are only just really starting to bloom good now.
I've never heard of nambok. Does it have a different name? Strange that you're not getting fruit from it though.
I didn't know about the fog affecting fruit set, hopefully still get a good showing this year.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on August 15, 2018, 09:51:35 pm
Where abouts are you? My mangoes are only just really starting to bloom good now.
I've never heard of nambok. Does it have a different name? Strange that you're not getting fruit from it though.
I didn't know about the fog affecting fruit set, hopefully still get a good showing this year.

Sorry JB.. not much on names, memory like a sieve!
"Nam Doc Mia" from Thailand.
The fog sets off Downy Mildew which covers the flower spike in what
appears as a greyish colour, it can set in just one event. The 'cure' is
copper sulphate or mangozed(tm) however timing is crucial as the very
same chemical (?) will affect the strength of any flowering.
Best applied just as budding begins leaving the parent crown, buds even
partly open will die off, fast.
Location is shown in my avatar and screen ID.
Cheers.

Bill

-- http://botanicalgrowersnetwork.net/znetsol/1-ProductPages/T1g/MGO-IND/pop.htm
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 26, 2018, 08:27:42 am
26. August - the Liquid Amber has just burst into leaves. A sign of Spring here.

We had 25 mm of rain ( 1 inch for the US friends) and this will kick along the Blue Gum for a while. It may just be enough to get the Clover going too - need a bit of follow-up rain.

I use to keep a phenomanel ( the spelling is wrong...) calender - keeping all the Bud Burst dates for the trees around here but lost it. At 70 is it really a priority to start one again?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 26, 2018, 08:38:32 am
Phenology!

http://budburst.org/phenology-defined

I think Spring has sprung - at least here!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on August 27, 2018, 08:37:26 am
. At 70 is it really a priority to start one again?
Mate still young.. what are you going to do for the next 25 yrs or so?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 10, 2018, 06:20:07 pm
We are taking honey off again. From the best hive we have harvested 24 x 1/2 frames and 24 x Full depth frames of honey so far - and the bees built into the lid as well. And this is still only the first month of Spring.
The Blue Gum keeps flowering but very little Clover to be seen - simply too dry.
The Liquid Amber is buzzing with bees but I'm not sure if they produce nectar or pollen.
I keep making more splits - there are simply not enough hours in a day ...or energy in my legs:)
Got a very small swarm hanging in a shrub - not much bigger then a tennis bal. They have been there for a week and have built some comb. Have not seen this often.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 15, 2018, 06:18:13 pm
The Jaboticabas are out this morning.
If you have never seen one flowering have a look at the beginning of this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhhBB1aV3u8&index=1&list=PL3D06C385260B1EA1
The smell is amazing. I assume the bees are just getting pollen.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on September 15, 2018, 06:55:51 pm
You definitely have a different climate up there my Jaboticabas are just starting to bud so will be a week or 2 away from flowering. Is there any nectar from them or is it pollen only? Last year when mine were in flower they were covered in native bees the noise was amazing I don't know where they all came from as we only have one small colony in a post that holds up one corner of a shed,...they must have put the word out!
I see from your video you are running half depth honey supers and double deep brood, is that the configuration you run on all your hives or was it just those ones you were working?
Cheers
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 15, 2018, 07:36:14 pm
I'm not sure if Jaboticabas produce nectar. I will have a close look today.
We also are getting native Bees here - they only fly about 500 m from the hive. We are near the Mary with lots of habitat trees.
It is a very old video. Big changes since.
I have two hives with 1/2 depth supers and only single FD brood. One or two hives have no Queen excluder and I harvest the brood for nuc's . Some of my best hives are only singles and only used for brood harvest. I find this the easiest way to make nuc's - no lifting of honey supers required.
Well, nice and warm.
I have done the painting for now and will check on nuc's - see how the queens are going.
The Imbil Bee Expo was great yesterday. What a fantastic way to talk bees all day!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on September 15, 2018, 08:55:55 pm
I wanted to go to Imbil but my partner is not well and loathe to leave her for any length of time, sounds like it was a good day. Did many turn up? Saw pics of morning and it was a bit quiet but I know there was a bus coming up from Vegas.
Converted 3 splits I made going in to winter in to 10 FD yesterday...busting at the seams. Should have been done weeks ago but circumstances have conspired against me. The lids alone had about 6kg of honey in them! Am thinking of going to 8 frames purely from a weight perspective but being a traditionalist am hesitating or maybe it is procrastinating!
Have one hive with a queen that lays a beautiful pattern wall to wall so am using that for nucs.
What do you make your nucs out of?
Cheers
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 15, 2018, 10:47:53 pm
I wanted to go to Imbil but my partner is not well and loathe to leave her for any length of time, sounds like it was a good day.
!!!!I hope that her health improves.

 Did many turn up? Saw pics of morning and it was a bit quiet but I know there was a bus coming up from Vegas.

!!!A slow start but very busy from about 10 AM until the draw of the prices.

Converted 3 splits I made going in to winter in to 10 FD yesterday...busting at the seams. Should have been done weeks ago but circumstances have conspired against me. The lids alone had about 6kg of honey in them!

!!!!!We have been taking honey off early last week and some had built into the lids. I use an inner-lid and generally the honey is between the inner- lid and the lid. I leave it for the bees to clean-up.


 Am thinking of going to 8 frames purely from a weight perspective but being a traditionalist am hesitating or maybe it is procrastinating!
!!!!!I don't have much experience with 8 Frame gear. A friend of mine went for 8 frame supers for weight reasons. The issue we found was the 8 framers tend to swarm rather quickly. I guess there is less space. Spoke to a Beek yesterday and he is going back to 10 frame from 8's. A few reasons - basically he felt he was always running out of frames

Have one hive with a queen that lays a beautiful pattern wall to wall so am using that for nucs.
What do you make your nucs out of?

!!!I keep a pretty good record of all hives. I mark the best ones and use them to provide 3 brood frames. I use these 3 frames ( not all capped brood, I like some un-capped as well to keep the generations coming) with two frames with new foundation to make a 5 frame nuc.
The early ones this Spring I let make their own queens. Try NOT to open them for a month and you will find generally eggs, some larvae in them. Occassionally some capped brood.
The absolute "best" ( exeptional pattern, large queen, quiet..) ones I transfer into a 10 framer and split them until Christmas. Some I will keep and some are sold - there is always a demand for instant singles for those who had a FLOW gifted to them - and they want bees.

The other nuc's I sell when the pattern is up to scratch.

I also make nuc's  as per above but buy a mated queen - much quicker. Two weeks and they are just about readdy to sell.
At this point queens are still in rather short supply and I'm only set-up to make Queen Cells - and I use them.

At the moment I'm making some nuc's pretty well every week. Not too many as I have a space issue.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on September 16, 2018, 12:06:15 am
Thanks Max
Nice detail. What do you make the boxes out of? Seems hard to get suitable pine at a reasonable price up here. I see there is a crowd in Melbourne that sells it but can't find it up here.

Update on Jaboticabas... My partner informed me that I really should wear my glasses the so called buds are not flower buds but Fruit ...doh! With everything that has been going on I have missed the flowering as the tress are not in an area I go to all the time.

Yes I resist the urge to have a look at new nucs till a month is up to see if they  have successfully raised a queen and she is laying.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 26, 2018, 06:02:05 pm
The Clover is out and the bees are working it. We had very little rain here in recent times but some paddocks are irrigated and you can see the difference some water makes. With some rain, maybe a storm, the valley will flower with White Clover. It is not too late.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 28, 2018, 03:30:15 am
We took more honey off today. The Clover is definitely coming in as the honey is not as dark as last time. Storms and small rain cells all around us yesterday and today but not a drop of rain so far.
Some hives got stirred up by something - maybe they know more about the weather then we do.
Good time to make more splits while the honey supers are light.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 30, 2018, 02:56:08 am
30. September - White Cedar is flowering. Not sure if Honey Bees work it or not?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melia_azedarach
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on September 30, 2018, 06:42:28 am
Not so much flowering but today we had 56mm all of it between 0700 and about 0930. Was chucking it down with a decent light show to go with it.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 30, 2018, 07:39:20 am
Lucky you - we had all of 15 mm
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 04, 2018, 12:10:42 am
4. October - How could I miss this! The Silky Oaks are out. I never know if the bees go for pollen or nectar or both?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 05, 2018, 05:25:15 pm
A bloke sent me a photo of Wild Mustard flowering near Kenilworth - SE Qld. He tells me the bees are all over it.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 07, 2018, 05:58:57 pm
7. October - Clover is doing well here. Also the native Wisteria is in full bloom and the bees love it. Native Wisteria  is growing here in patches - not enough to make a difference to the bees but what a lovely vine.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 08, 2018, 01:33:51 am
8. 10.18 - Tecoma stens is flowering on steep slopes. It is considered a weed here - rather attractive and the bees seem to like it https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0005772X.2016.1156283?journalCode=tbee20
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: PRYORDARNELL on October 08, 2018, 10:19:18 pm
Grey gums blooming north of toowoomba.

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Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 11, 2018, 05:23:05 pm
We are getting much needed, solid rain here. No wind and the rain is not too heavy. Only minor hail - I do hope that hail will stay away. Other areas had massive damage with sheds lost and crops damaged - the Peach harvest is about to start.
The Pecan's are just starting to flower. I have all of my nuc's within flying distance of a few acres of Pecans. Excellent for a pollen boost.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 18, 2018, 06:35:33 pm
19. 10. 18 - the Jaboticabas are out again - they do flower profously for a couple of days a few times a year, generally after good rain, Busy work them really well.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 20, 2018, 03:15:10 am
20. 10. 18 - Maleny way and in many other SubTropical locations - watch for Jacarandas .  https://laurarittenhouse.wordpress.com/2012/12/09/second-honey-harvest/
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 20, 2018, 05:49:17 pm
21. 10. 18 - bees are going wild on the Brazillian Cherry https://www.google.com.au/search?q=brazilian+cherry+bees&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=g5vIA3afk7evsM%253A%252C3SC7ceVEqTgrLM%252C_&usg=AI4_-kRkIVPfCkcb0laLEIEadJRSYz7CUA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjFtomR8pXeAhWMwI8KHZ12BSoQ9QEwCHoECAAQBg#imgrc=g5vIA3afk7evsM:
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on October 23, 2018, 04:41:30 pm
Jacarandas are flowering and the Jaboticabas are having a second flowering here.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 23, 2018, 05:38:36 pm
Yes, Jacarandas are flowering in Maleny - a little too cool here for them to do well in the valley.
The Jabodicabas are flowering here a few times a year and the bees love them.
I have a Brazilian Cherry near my office and it is buzzing early in the morning. Looks like bees getting lots of pollen.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 26, 2018, 03:43:35 am
The bees are buzzing on the Pecan's this afternoon
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 28, 2018, 07:04:28 am
28. 10 .18 - Grumichamas are out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumichama
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 01, 2018, 04:48:13 am
1.11.18 - narrow leaved Ironbark is out
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 05, 2018, 04:27:24 pm
6.11.18 - the E toreliana  are out in full bloom and the bees are busy as...
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 07, 2018, 04:51:46 pm
8. Novv 2o18 - Brushbox are budding heavily near Tuchekoy. This year they have very short buds - an indication of a heavy flow coming on.
Did you know that Brushbox can flower multiple times in the same year? I have heard of them flowering up to six times.
weather conditions need to be just right - hot, humid weather with some rain. We may in for it this year.
We had the hot and humit part and they say we are getting some rain.
The Clover would love a shower or two.
In any case, the bees are doing very well right now.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 12, 2018, 01:33:50 am
12. 11.18 - Tipuana Tipu is flowering. It was plated as astreet tree in our village. Considered as a weed tree by some. The bees enjoy the flowers.
https://www.google.com.au/search?source=hp&ei=tQ_pW_LjEIq-rQGdxIOADA&q=tipuana+tipu+bees&oq=tipuana+tipu+bees&gs_l=psy-ab.3...2305.8436.0.8755.17.13.0.4.4.0.240.1777.0j9j1.10.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..3.13.1632...0j0i131k1.0.aWUayuyVKoM
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 13, 2018, 04:26:13 pm
14.11.18 - Albizias are in full bloom and buzzing. https://www.pugetsoundbees.org/bee-lunch-silk-tree-albizia-julibrissin/
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 17, 2018, 05:17:18 pm
18. 11.18 - Buckinhamias are just out. https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fsteemit.com%2Fbuckinghamia%2F%40ctrl-alt-nwo%2Fbuckinghamia-the-ivory-curl-flower&psig=AOvVaw2hdG05XQGRILWKd7ffcS0t&ust=1542575690588126

We had some excellent rain ( 34mm) which will help the White Clover and of course the Brush Box.

Very mild today for November
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 07, 2018, 08:29:09 pm
What is NOT flowering?
I hear that the Blue Gum is still flowering in some areas. Of course the Ironbark keeps giving and the BrushBox is having a good year.
Jacarandas are still out. Same with the Tipuana Tipu.

Noticed today that the Angohora are budding and also the Lemon Myrtle.

The flow seems to continue.
Need some clear sunny days ( with good rain in the  late afternoon:))
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 17, 2018, 04:26:28 pm
18. 12. 2018 - Angophoras are out - https://www.google.com.au/search?q=angophoras+bees&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=DtlFJASd8_-9nM%253A%252Cx1txWgwUZC7fOM%252C_&usg=AI4_-kTZr7nE7yGrgrU9_qlzNMH7Ur1P_g&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi5o57j2KffAhWZfH0KHQGoCGIQ9QEwEXoECAEQCg#imgrc=DtlFJASd8_-9nM:
It  is still raining here. I bet the BrushBox will flower again after this.
As a shallow rooted tree it needs this rain to perform well.
Waiting for the sun as I need to take honey off.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on December 18, 2018, 03:49:37 pm
We had 90mm on Sunday evening/night. Tanks full!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 23, 2018, 04:45:35 pm
24. 12.18 - The Lemon Myrtle is just coming out.
There are not that many trees around here but the honey seems to pick-up a slight, pleasant tang.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 26, 2018, 02:53:57 am
26. 12.18 - Swamp Mahogany is out in places. Red Stringybark too.
Along the roads in Maleny Flatweed is prolific - great for some pollen.
The temperatures and soil moisture here is perfect for bees to make the best of it all.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Russ on December 26, 2018, 05:00:04 am
I am in the Kyogle area of NSW. I have Broadleaf privet nearby flowering like I have never seen before. Bees bringing in lots of nectar, lite and sweet. Also I have a paddock of Narok Setaria in full flower. The paddock is full of bees in the early morning, presumably for pollen. I have not seen bees forage on this before. Regards Russ.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 28, 2018, 04:37:16 pm
Monkey Pod Vine - http://www.saveourwaterwaysnow.com.au/01_cms/details_pop.asp?ID=292
It is not a very attractive vine but grows all along the Mary River. Bees go for it. It flowers for many months.
It looks like bees are getting mostly nectar from it.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on December 30, 2018, 03:34:29 am
Have a heap of Murraya paniculata flowering after all the rain we had and the bees are all over it like a rash.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 30, 2018, 07:11:31 am
30.12.18 - just found out what this tree is which keeps flowering - brown kurrajong - the bees seem to like it.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 31, 2018, 05:55:24 pm
1.1.19 - I went for my walk along the Mary River as I try to do on the first day of the year.
This year, thanks to the good rain we had, the grass is very tall and the weeds very lush. A bit of a job to walk around.
Peak flowering is done for the Waterhousia floribunda , the Blood woods are out - it is a tricky honey as it has a high moisture content and can ferment easily if not fully capped. We get it as a mix most years. The colour looks dark but against the light it is a dark red - very attractive. It "strings" when it is extracted.
There are acres of Thistles around too - just the common Scotch Thistles. Good pollen.
The grasses - I can't tell what they are - are full of pollen but I have not seen bees on them - maybe the protein level is too low to be of value to bees?
Lots os ground flora - the Cobblers pegs, Blue Top and many more.
There is a good cover of Sub_Tropical legumes in the orchard area. They will flower in a couple of months.
All looking quite positive here in S-E Queensland.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Beelab on December 31, 2018, 09:27:29 pm
Heard some saying the dearth has started Bris/SE QLD/N NSW. Not round the Mary?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on January 01, 2019, 06:19:41 am
I am on Sunshine Coast. Bees still very active so plenty about here at the moment. Had good rain a couple of weeks ago and are having a few showers overnight which the plants just love. High 20's to 30+ during the day so great growing weather.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 02, 2019, 06:57:03 pm
Hi Beelab, agree with Bamboo - no dart here at this stage.
We are in a rather unique location here - the Mary River just below us with some good flats and a large hill to the north - dry ridges, moist gullies and gentle slopes - all timbered and the same behind us to the South. All within 5 km or less.
The result is that trees like Brush Box can flower for an extended period due to the chaning aspect and differing elevation. Some of the area is farmed ( mostly beef) but large areas are difficult to access gullies with loads of weeds.
Some showers here today - enough to stop me doing bee work.
I changed a super yesterday -old and rotten - and the honey supper was fully capped, readdy for another harvest. If we get a brake I would like to change another super.
February can be disappointing here - too much rain or too dry and hot.
Autumn can be good but the Brisbane region does probably better.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 03, 2019, 12:03:57 am
dart-> dearth:)
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Beelab on January 07, 2019, 06:45:53 am
Guess the summer dearth we had in recent years is not happening this season. I see 2 different eucalyptus flowering, just don?t know what type they are. Covered in cream colored blossoms.
Each of my colonies I have on scales adds about 2kg in weight daily.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 07, 2019, 07:08:34 am
Hi Beelab,
2 kg/day is going well. The hives must be nice and strong.
About flowering Euc's - depends where you are: could be ironbark, bloodwood, stringybark, grey gum or swamp mahogeny. Google these and see which ones they are.
All will be good but you need to watch it with bloodwood - harvest when they are fully capped or the honey will ferment on you.
Good luck with it all.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 09, 2019, 12:38:25 am
The Leopard trees are out!
We have been taking more honey off - very light - probably still some Clover in this lot mixed with Brushbox. Lovely stuff.
The weather has been far from ideal - a few showers and very humid. The SHB numbers have increased considerably - watch-out if you are in the Brisbane.Sunshine Coast area!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Beelab on January 09, 2019, 11:07:30 pm
Hi Max2,
Confirmed bloodwood. Learned something new. Thanks.
Honey I took yesterday is very thick, maybe no bloodwood in there yet.
The other flowering gum is still a mystery, can?t find it. Theres more and more flowers here in the NP, all cream and high up.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 10, 2019, 12:13:23 am
Hi Beelab,
assume NP stands for National park?
Which one? You may benefit from the flowering of some rainforest spp?
With Bloodwood you can often tell - if I know the location I can possible tell you which of the Bloodwoods it is. It seems a little early from Brown Bloodwood ( E. trachyphloia)
It would be interesting to find out what else is flowering.
The main forested area from my hives if a few km across the valley from me and it is a guess to identify what is flowering
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Beelab on January 10, 2019, 12:56:32 am
That makes it harder for you with the trees a distance away. These here are all close, just too high to really see the flowers in all detail. And I don?t know anybody to educate me. Did you get my pm about location? We have big pockets of rainforest.
Years and years ago beekeepers brought a lot of hives up here, haven?t seen any in ages. Fine with me and my bees though.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 11, 2019, 03:09:46 am
We took more honey off today. The hives are really full. Not 100% what the flow is but they are busy.
I went back to the hives we took honey off on the 4. Januay - blow me away - some of the frames are about 50% capped.
I should go for a drive/walk and see what is flowering.
Most of the forest is on private property ( ex dairy land) and very steep.
I left a jar of honey on the gate and he may let me go for a walk. They have loads of cattle and may don't want a stranger disturb the mob.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 14, 2019, 06:25:43 pm
A while ago I mentioned a tree the bees really like.
I knew that it was not native - maybe even a potential weed.

I had a mate identify the plant and it is indeed a good bee tree...and a potential weed:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triadica_sebifera
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 20, 2019, 05:00:57 pm
Look at this opportunity - oh, to be young again!
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-21/almond-industry-booming-but-more-bees-needed/10724074
We are well positioned here in Qld to have hives readdy for this opportunity.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on January 21, 2019, 04:26:14 am
Yes I saw that but I think the transport costs from here to SA  and the Riverina would be prohibitive. Mind you depends what they are getting per hive. 30 odd years ago I was getting $50 per hive from the kiwifruit industry in NZ.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 21, 2019, 07:48:18 am
I know of a beekeeper in Gympie who is doing well by sending single FD hives South.
I have never tried it.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on January 21, 2019, 04:12:38 pm
Do you know what the going rate is per hive?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on January 21, 2019, 06:31:13 pm
Look at this opportunity - oh, to be young again!
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-21/almond-industry-booming-but-more-bees-needed/10724074
We are well positioned here in Qld to have hives readdy for this opportunity.

Oh yessss indeed Max.
I fear the mix of operators would be well different these days tho', a case of
"mind how you go". ;-)

/waves @Bamboo

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on January 23, 2019, 07:40:44 am
Hi Bill
Have you in your vast experience done any pollination?
Cheers Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on January 23, 2019, 08:41:25 am
Hi Bill
Have you in your vast experience done any pollination?
Cheers Mark

Evenin' Mark.
For a very long time I did believe my 'mentor' (long deceased) was the true pioneer
of cropping pollination in this Country, he led myself and a mate (deceased) into it.
However as one's horizons widen I did learn blokes using our native stingless bees
were into orchard pollination in the South long before him.
When we began doing vine crops pollination many "pointy fingered" us, questioning
that change. Over the next decade or so the operation grew into a significant business
with "farmer chat" changing cropping methods. When we sold up the buyers were -
figuratively speaking - lined up in rows.
You would know the modern story better than I.

Long way of saying;
 "Yes, and largely only that. I own very little commercial honey industry
experience".
However I was a backyard enthusiast before those times and am now in
retirement a backyarder with just two colonies (permanently) once again.
All hugely experimental along with our Tets(hockingsi) as garden architecture.

Cheers.

Bill

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 23, 2019, 09:53:26 pm
" Do you know what the going rate is per hive?"
I tried to find out - not much success.
The DPI in NSW has a new book out " Pollination using honey bees" - an excellent publication but I can't find a $ figure.
I had heard that $ 80 to $ 100 for a single  was being paid but I'm not sure if this is at all reliable?
I read in some forum that in the USA $US 200 per hive ( this would be a double - I assume) has been reached for strong hives for Almond pollination.
I have been asked to move hives to Mac Nuts but payment was never discussed.
We still have a lot of wild hives and growers still seem reluctant to make payments.
With the plantings of Mac Nuts and Avos on ex cane land there won't be an option to bringing in bees - no trees, no other pollinators.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: BeeMaster2 on January 23, 2019, 10:24:29 pm
Max,
It is true that Beekeepers get up to $200 per hive for almond pollination but that is the highest paid pollination fees any where in the us. The reason it is so high is because there are not enough hives available in the US as is needed. I think it is about 2/3 of the commercial hives in the us are needed for almond pollination. Normal pollination fees run from $20 to $100 per hive depending on the crop.
Jim
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 24, 2019, 12:25:51 am
Hi Jim,
I think Michael Palmer quoted this figure.
I realise that this is the top for a beek with a great reputation.
Still, we are well behind. There is good reason: we don't have Varroa ( lucky us) and thus still have a pretty good wild population of bees and other pollinators.
As an article I posted above points out, more and more Almonds ( and Blueberries, Avocados, Macadamia Nuts...) are being planted in Australia and our politicians would like to see us becoming the " food basket" of Asia. That we need more bees and more beekeepers is obvious to you and me but not to the Minister for Agriculture.
I hate to think what the avearage age of beekeepers is in Australia.
At this point there are opportunities but this is not an easy game to get into. We are not big risk takers.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on January 24, 2019, 09:08:23 am
Yes Max I saw that publication. The only authoritative figure I could find for Oz was $70 but that was for 2011.
I saw this https://www.beeculture.com/2018-almond-pollination-market-outlook-demand-supply-contracts/ in Bee Culture. 2017 fees for Almonds were $165 to $200 and they were predicting an average of $200 for 2018 these figures were based on an 8 frame.

Agree great opportunities for beekeepers but difficult industry (expensive) to get into. I doubt that any of the banks after their recent travails will be willing to back someone making an investment in hives and bees. I saw someone in SA selling 800 hives for $450 a sizeable investment for anyone.
But as you say if the Govt wants to be the food bowl they will need to invest in bees not just the crops.
As for growers not wanting to pay, the same thing happened in NZ with the kiwifruit industry 30 odd years ago but once they realised that they needed the bees for pollination it just became an expense of growing the crop and was factored in. They will come to the same conclusion here or they will go broke from an unprofitable crop, won't take them long.
Cheers
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on January 24, 2019, 03:41:49 pm
Max & Mark.
Ask the farmer what their cost is for pollination to work the sums back from there. Suggested as no operator
 is going to disclose their baseline margins, not even to the ATO. [smile]

A short anecdote around investment for growth, directly pollination related?
Having been around perishable crop farming in NQ since the days we banged pine crates together
(nailed) on weekends just for fun, as a forced break from school, I can say there was a time where through
sheer isolation growing perishables was a life of hard knocks with a very small trickle into a market far
 away, fed by steel caboose style wagons on very slow trains.
I remember well sitting waiting in the station master's office with Dad to get the "weigh ticket", the steam
 locomotive huffing it's way past off the siding with our wagon of banana in tow. The station master's cat
being our entertainment as young boys are wont to do.
We in NQ could grow pretty much anything of the then popular fruits in the big cities, just could not get
the produce there or trying as Dad did it often rotted on a siding somewhere South.
It was around 1975/6 an older cashed up canefarmer come melon grower bought into a small fleet of then
very fast refrigerated semitrailers, and he setout many acres of a new to us vine crop, rockmelon. With our
help in supplying bees his cropping grew to where his whole farming practice turned to rockies, and with
 the trucking link others (locally) jumped on board using his supply chain. The market then grew as supply
became a loose guarantee and today supports a few hundred perishable crop growers along some 200kms
of the coast highway moving thousands of tons of tomato/melon/capsicum/beans/pumpkin to southern
markets on a two day turnaround - all under closed cell refigeration.
Funnily enough much of the same story ran within the banana industry - not including Dad as we went
broke, walked off the farm - and so today there exist massive weigh stations loading hundreds of semitrailers
 (now Double Bs) with banana along with thousands of acres turned over to banana farming. At least three
major trucking outfits were born from it all - Nolans/Blenners/Lindsay - that in itself a separate industry
turning over massive amounts of dollars annually.

Yes there is little doubt us beeks here are highly conservative, a good thing in some facets as bees will not
be rushed so the demeanour suits the set culture. However just as that dratted FlowHive jolted us so rudely
into the 21st century so will this whole new face of mass spontaneous pollination.
It is the new players who will grip the rose stem, the ones talking to their own kind at the banks, and so it
will happen, it is just a matter of Time.
For as ol' Joe whispered in broken Orstraylean all those years ago " oi mate she come-a-good the vine you
put the bee, huh, we makeah some goodah money, yeh"... and I did, and we did.

Cheers.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on January 24, 2019, 04:43:23 pm
Love it Bill! :smile:
Yes and a new industry of Pollen Brokers shall arise to clip the ticket on the way thru.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 24, 2019, 05:24:04 pm

Yes Max I saw that publication. The only authoritative figure I could find for Oz was $70 but that was for 2011.

!!!!!This would be fairly marginal - I would expect.

I saw this https://www.beeculture.com/2018-almond-pollination-market-outlook-demand-supply-contracts/ in Bee Culture. 2017 fees for Almonds were $165 to $200 and they were predicting an average of $200 for 2018 these figures were based on an 8 frame.

!!!!I could get singles with 8 frames in time for pollination here. At least in a reasonable year. No feeding required. I'm putting the idea to a (younger!) friend. I would be willing to make splits but no way will I get into this business.


Agree great opportunities for beekeepers but difficult industry (expensive) to get into. I doubt that any of the banks after their recent travails will be willing to back someone making an investment in hives and bees. I saw someone in SA selling 800 hives for $450 a sizeable investment for anyone.

!!!!About one Million all up or more. Now, what would I do if I had a Million sitting around?

But as you say if the Govt wants to be the food bowl they will need to invest in bees not just the crops.

!!!!!I have written tot current Minister ( Davif Littleproud) and Barnaby - the previous one . They don't get it.

As for growers not wanting to pay, the same thing happened in NZ with the kiwifruit industry 30 odd years ago but once they realised that they needed the bees for pollination it just became an expense of growing the crop and was factored in. They will come to the same conclusion here or they will go broke from an unprofitable crop, won't take them long.

!!!I agree. We went for a trip to Bundi last year and the new areas under Avos, Mac's but also Pumpkin is amazing. All planted on ex cane land with not a tree around. They will need pollinators and they will need to pay a fair rate.
It is just a couple of hours N from us. Very doable.

Cheers
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on January 24, 2019, 10:12:14 pm
Love it Bill! :smile:
Yes and a new industry of Pollen Brokers shall arise to clip the ticket on the way thru.

Fer shure to be shure.
"Be alert not alarmed" applies around that mob (brokers). ;-)))

Cheers.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 24, 2019, 11:48:58 pm
Bill, love your anectode!
I think there maybe some Italian in you!
( my mother was from Bergamo - Olga Speranza Tagliati - can't get more Italian then this)
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on January 25, 2019, 04:55:01 am
Bill, love your anectode!
I think there maybe some Italian in you!
( my mother was from Bergamo - Olga Speranza Tagliati - can't get more Italian then this)

Tagliati, that's as floral (linguistic) as it gets Max... when rolled off the tongue in true
brogue/accent/dialect.
[smile]
I know today a few from up Lombardy way, truly international in being multilingual
they are the taller fairer Italian of quite gentle wisdom. Guys and the one
Lady we know are in their 80s being part of the original sharecroppers bought in to farm
tobacco up Mareeba way in the 50s. I mix readily with them as I spent my baby years in
the canefields with their countrymen bought in to do the handcutting. I probably learnt
more Italian phrases of unrepeatable nature before I could read "Dick and Dora" than  I
can recall still today, not forgetting a passion for hard cheese, olive oil, hard salami and
a wedge of crusty white washed down with thickly sweet black tea - Yummo!

0h... and my pizza deliverys to these folk are met enthusiasticly as I do "traditional".
We usually score a few panettone loaves around Xmas as feedback, so yes... plenty of
Italian in me, and the Missus. ;-))

Cheers.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 25, 2019, 11:43:26 pm
We took honey off again this morning - rather warm.
The Bloodwoods are flowering ( Euc intermedia) but there is no Bloodwood honey in these hives!
This is the 10th time this season we have pulled honey from these hives. If we would leave it for the end of the season we would finish with a huge stack and I could never cope. This way we take 8 frames ( 10 frame supers , FD with 10 frames) and get about 15 to 18 kg from each hive. Works well with our 8 frames extractor.
We had no rain for more than a month and this is very unusual for us this time of the year. Not looking positive for another week at least.
May do more hives tomorrow.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on January 28, 2019, 10:44:06 pm
We had a very welcome 5mm last night. The first precipitation in well over a month.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 28, 2019, 11:41:50 pm
Lucky you, Bamboo! We had 2 mm of rain....followed by 4 mm of wind:)
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on January 29, 2019, 01:22:19 am
Max2  You need to plant some more tall trees to interrupt it before we get it all:smile: I recall something about "In Spain it rains mostly on the plains".
On a serious note micro climates are definitely a factor, we were having light showers here this morning and I had to go to the airport and less than 3kms from our place it was dry and no sign of rain.
We have family at Maroochydore who live on the coast and at night in winter coming home the difference can be as much as 5C colder here, the opposite of course in Summer much warmer here as they get the sea breezes.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on January 29, 2019, 03:51:39 pm
0n a serious note micro climates are definitely a factor,

Definitely in how foraging is affected, Mark.
Like the same blooms away from here bees are feasting on whereas
here it is is all washed out with better than a metre of rain since mid last week.
You can see the massive displays on the trees, exotics and natives, yet nary
a bee on them when they do fly.
Back in the day this is why we used agistment but that window is now closed
what with cost and creaky bones. :-)

Cheers.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on January 29, 2019, 06:55:52 pm
0n a serious note micro climates are definitely a factor,

Definitely in how foraging is affected, Mark.
Like the same blooms away from here bees are feasting on whereas
here it is is all washed out with better than a metre of rain since mid last week.


Bill
More than a metre is mind blowing, some places get that in less than that in a year! Have been following on the news and I was saying to Alison pity the poor beekeepers up that way. Not only the lack of forage but the hives lost through flooding. Looks like the rain is swinging round and going back up as well. Send some to Tassie they could do with some for the fires.
Take care mate.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on January 29, 2019, 09:12:54 pm
Yeah Mark, been told the forecast is for yet another rerun. No real biggee as this is
part and parcel of living in the Tropics - the bit not included in migration brochures
left lying about in Melbourne sitting rooms.
Not a workshop person these days I quickly gather empathy for our Southern
bretheren as they ready to sit out a few months of close to zero (celcius) temps and
drizzling rain. Great for a week or so, not fun after that spell.

Cheers.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 30, 2019, 06:46:38 am
Travelled through Landsborough today - the Buckinghamias are in full bloom.
And Bill, sta safe and dry up there!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 30, 2019, 06:49:14 am
Here it is!
Bees seem to love them: http://malleedesign.com.au/one-of-the-best-street-trees/
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 03, 2019, 03:27:28 am
We took some honey off today. far from ideal but I'm running out of time. Eventually the rain stopped me.
Just a few mm but enough for the day. maybe more on Monday.
No Bloodwood in this lot...
I wonder how Bill  is going? Crazy rain up North.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on February 03, 2019, 06:40:05 am
I see they have opened the dam, 2000 cu m per sec and are going to keep up that flow till tomorrow morning...scary stuff. Going to be huge loss of homes and property. I think Bill is out of town a bit so hopefully he is OK not sure that he is in Townsville though.
Been off and on showers here all day not much in the gauge just annoying stuff.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on February 03, 2019, 08:20:36 pm
Thanks for the thoughts blokes, we are handling it all - likely the best Wet seen in many a year
with Tinneroo spilling over yesterday and well over 2metres of rain here in the past 10days.
You'd know more than us on Townsville district as we lost power Friday and I've had to limit
diesel as this could go on for a while yet as we have another Low above us developing in the Gulf.
So radio only with bold waste getting Internet time. ;-))
Had a break Saturday last for maybe six hours in which the bees at home went like the clappers,
so they are panicking but still alive. The outyard we cannot know as impossible to get there and be
 so for a while yet.
Like an island, we are fine in getting by sooo enjoy the Peace (posting respite) while it lasts, hey. ;-))

Cheers.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: CoolBees on February 03, 2019, 10:55:42 pm
May God bless and be with you Bill.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 04, 2019, 12:42:40 am
Bill, we miss you and all the best. Chin up!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on February 04, 2019, 07:29:21 pm
Old hands at this Big Wet stuff we know to be prepared long before
and to stay put once she sets in - if you do move you cut up already
fragile roads and we wont see a grader out here for months. Also as
has happened to many a wanderer the risk of moving out to then be
cutoff getting back home is extreme, and nobody wants to be caught
between creek crossings out here - there aint no Hopalong Cassidy
types cruising by with a trusty rope to tie the truck down with. <g>

It's easing off, just 40mm last night and overcast clear skies this morning.
Bees are flying. All good.... thanks blokes. :-))
Cheers.

Bill

--
PS: for interest in a picture being worth a thousand words I
update with the weather radar link we use. Ravenshoe is a near
enough reference point. Sun is actually out and bright whilst I
write - looking good, real good. ;-))
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR191.loop.shtml#skip
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on February 04, 2019, 10:47:25 pm
Great to hear Bill. Delighted that you and yours are OK...fantastic news. Stay safe.
Cheers
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 04, 2019, 11:46:28 pm
Good news! Thanks Bill and all the best.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on February 06, 2019, 06:13:13 pm
Best news blokes, power restored late yesterday arvo after being told
earlier in the day it wont happen for days. They must have found a 4x4
truck that could do the job. <g>
So the A/C went on to engage in The Battle of the Mold and the Missus
put a smile on her dial.
We are still getting small (40mm) rains at night but I would say the worst
is a done duck - just a matter of waiting it out now. Catching footage of the
Townsville flooding you gotta feel for those blokes. Going to cost zillions to
fix that amount of spoilage up... I expect yet another rise in insurance premiums.
Sun not out yet (today) but it should happen, so all good.

Cheers.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 06, 2019, 11:15:35 pm
Good news indeed.
It will take a while for the mold to clear.
I find here that 10 min of sunshine and the bees are out
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on February 07, 2019, 06:01:42 pm
Good news indeed.
It will take a while for the mold to clear.
I find here that 10 min of sunshine and the bees are out

:on knees:
:hands clasped skywards:

Bring it on - P L E A S E

Overcast but no significant rain and creeks have all dropped, so all good.

Cheers.


Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 10, 2019, 04:34:33 pm
Looks like the raintrees are coming out here - a bit early. Bees love them
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on February 18, 2019, 09:25:24 pm
Updating our woes (not really) we were able to get to the outyard over the
weekend to find both colonys depleted but alive with both queens having beeen dug out
of their cages -  as I was hoping.
No real action happening but knocking them back to just BCs I am confident they'll make
it on the little forage around the place.
The usual access road will be closed for weeks yet and as the shortcut is a 70km drive
they are on their own for a bit. Lucky we don't do honey, hey. :-)))

Cheers.


Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on February 20, 2019, 03:13:42 am
Good to hear Bill.
Mate that is some drive!
We are looking at a bit of action this weekend or maybe early next week Bit of wind and some rain. BOM is saying about 500mm over 3 days but there is a forecaster in Maleny who seems to be fairly accurate and he reckons we could be looking at a metre plus. He was spot on with Townsville. Put some 20kg pavers on the lids and they are pretty sheltered so I wouldn't expect that they will cop much.
They are by a creek but the water would have to come up about 4m to be a problem....buuuut. How does one cope with floods? I imagine if push came to shove I could stack them on pallets and move them with the tractor.
Hopefully it doesn't come to that.
Good to hear all is OK up there.
Cheers
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on February 20, 2019, 06:19:21 am
When mine host is of quality the drive to the homestead is worth it Mark.
Difficult to comprehend as it is for some is the fact their boundary sits on
National Park as does ours, on the other side. It's just 20kms by bush track
to their fence line and our outyard but NP control the road. When it's closed
it's closed with only the mapped route(GoogleEarth)to the homestead
accessible, and still a 4?4 only road in the Wet once you turn off the
Kennedy highway.
Coming back from Cairns today with me brand-spanker new eyeballs on
 (gotta love Medicare..!!!) we spotted the Umbrella trees in full show and a
 type of stringybark (sorry Max) that only flowers in the upper branches in
 200mm long white tassles, all aglow in full show for the first time since we
have been here (~4yrs). So first thing tomorrow we will be adding bars to
 the horizontals and pulling the sugar mats from those client's nucs I
panicked about during the rains.
Ya know, it has been bloody wet mate but glorious for nature and so bees at
the same time.
After rain the Sun always shines - hold hard to that ol' Mate.

Cheers.

Bill

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 07, 2019, 01:32:00 am
I haven't had a chance to check on my bees as yet. Got a caugh and it does slow me down.
The rain trees ( I know it is a weed) is doing well and still giving plenty.
 It looks like Blackbutt ( E pilularis) is flowering - not much honey there but generally good pollen to get into winter.
Broad Leaved Ironbark ( E siderophloia) can do well in some areas - not much of it around here.
Gum Topped Box ( E mollucana) can do well but it maybe too dry?

Glad for the weeds...Cobblers Pegs, Blue Top...

Hoping for some good, soaking rain.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on March 07, 2019, 06:34:08 pm
Been watching budding on the first flush of the burnt gravillia/meleluca Max thinking it might
be bloom but no, a new flush. They are holding their own from a quick peek yesterday, so
hopefully the few bloodwoods around along with the umbrella trees is enough. I wouldn't want
to be running a full blown apiary here right now though, I tell ya. The fires really knocked
the forage for six despite the torrents of rain after.
Coughing in empathetic tones Max, in my third week of it, buuut back on the durries yesterday
so well on the way back to 'normal'. ;-)

Cheers.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 07, 2019, 07:12:43 pm
That will help the cough:)
Given them up  many , many years. I think I gave them away when my kids gave me herbal Tabacco as a present:(
For those of you not familiar with the term " durries" - it generally refers to roll-me-own cigarettes. They say that 20 a day will keep the doctor away!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on March 09, 2019, 06:44:16 am
Had a bit of a habit myself once..60 a day and a pack of pipe tobacco a week! Gave up when I was living in suburbia for awhile after I ran out to the gate to put the milk bottles out (yeah I know ancient history) came back wheezing . Stopped then and there never had one since ....40 odd years clean.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 09, 2019, 07:21:46 pm
60 a day!! Wow - in todays money this must be close to $100.
My father used to smoke this many - often two at a time!
He gave up when he was 50 years old from one day to the next and lived to 85.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on March 10, 2019, 09:59:50 pm
Fellas, smoked "rollies" since Day01 as Dad smoked the "fine cut" style, teaching that art but
not until 'maturity' at age 21, as was the rule back then. Being a busy life I soon switched
to "ready rubbed", and apart from a 7year break when the "smoking is bad, okay" campaign
kicked off I've been at it for sheer enjoyment for decades now.
A 50gram pouch is $75 so a few of those a fortnight is pretty close to breaking point for
the domestic budget, which is exactly the sharp end of social pressure.
The flowers are magnificent though, and attract bees. Heh.
Sooo, back on topic?
The rain is gone BOM are saying and so we start the windup to the year's build.
I have a mystery tree (to me) which flowers every other year with a very light even
sickly sweet honey. It is bursting right now but getting hosed each night, up till now... BOM
reckons. I'll try and get some pictures of the foliage and blooms, hoping for an ID.

Cheers.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 11, 2019, 01:20:43 am
" 50 gram pouch" Wow - I have to tell my missus.
I grew up in Switzerland and there was no age limit ( or maybe I ignored it) and I started at 14. I was about 6 ' even then and this must have helped.
I could not afford proper cigis and used to buy water damaged stock. The taste must have been wonderful  :shocked:
Send us the photo of the mistery tree and we will see if we can work out what it is.
Still coughing my heart out - not feeling weel at all.
Looks like we may get a shower later.
It has been hot as here.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on March 11, 2019, 03:41:26 am
Max did you get that storm that went thru? Missed us completely 37 and way too hot.

I have to fess, I worked for an Austrian guy who was a chain smoker and cigs were laid on for the Sales team I was sales manager. Most unusual even in those days! I doubt I could have afforded the habit if I'd had to pay, bought my own pipe tobacco though.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 11, 2019, 08:06:26 am
Max did you get that storm that went thru? Missed us completely 37 and way too hot.

No, a few spits and a bit of noise. Yes, hot. More to come.

Yes, I remember the days when pretty young lady's handed out small packets out side the office and factory.
My emergency pack in the Swiss Military also included some cigs.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 14, 2019, 08:23:34 pm
Missed out on the storm again - looks like North, around Gympie got some
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on March 15, 2019, 06:09:49 pm
Yes missed us as well. But you must have got last nights lot? We had 80mm.

I left Loganlea at 1540 yesterday afternoon and it took me over 3.5hrs to get back to Palmwoods. I have never driven through such consistent heavy rain and storms in my whole life usually they pass over quite quickly but I seemed to follow them all the way up the coast. I think I hit a top speed of 80 at one point but it didn't last long at one point I was down to 30 and it was still probably a bit fast for the conditions.... one of those drives where you just intensely concentrate and wish wipers had a faster speed than flat out! A case of following the tail lights in front of you cos you can't really see the road and breaking early. Also somewhat disorienting travelling so slowly and not being able to see landmarks to know exactly where you are.
Amazing light show, there were 3 occasions when the lightning and thunder were simultaneous the lightning so close you have momentary blindness!

Early night for me as not long after I got back we lost power for the night and I was ready for the sack anyway.

Looks like plenty of rain forecast. Was starting to get a bit dry.
Hope you are all good up there.
Cheers
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on March 15, 2019, 08:10:57 pm
Yup Mark...those drives are at the edge of trying, for sure.
Had a relapse with the "caugh" so back to Town for more drugs and 'upgrade'
to an inhaler, off the durries again of course.
B0M has us lined up for another week of Wet from Monday, I am hoping they
get that wrong... had enough by far. Buuut brilliant days right now, place looks
a picture and our pentas (sp?) is going full bore with the hibiscus smothered in blooms
on all dozen or so shrubs. No massive blooms happening so hopefully those buds
will wait till after any rain.

Cheers.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on March 15, 2019, 11:08:57 pm
Hi Bill
Had a few showers pass thru over the last few weeks...enough to encourage the strelitzias to go again, second flowering this season, maybe the high temps have them confused. The bees don't mind them and were working them on Thurs. We have about 50 very large clumps. The gums might be up for another round as well.
Hope it stays fine for you you have had plenty of the wet stuff to be going on with.
Cheers
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 19, 2019, 04:30:56 am
Hi Mark,
had a good storm Friday and last night.
Had no power on Friday evening but only 34 mm of rain.
Just got the internet back - phones and internet go all the time here.
Another 34 mm last night.
All good rain - lovely but humid day today.
Still battling with my virus but getting better. It seems to take much longer to get on top of these when you are older.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on March 20, 2019, 05:58:22 am
Gidday Fellas, into our fourth evening of showers with not a lot of rain (180mm)
but constant, like drizzle then bursts. One longhive must have got jack of it all
yesterday morning going into a flight frenzy so they got locked down. Mobs of
trees blooming just they carn't get to it long enough to stay busy inside.
So we all sit here waiting and watching John Wayne spaghetti westerns!

Cheers.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on March 20, 2019, 06:11:36 pm
Gidday Fellas, into our fourth evening of showers with not a lot of rain (180mm)
but constant,

180mm is just showers....seriously? That's more than some parts of Oz have had all year!

Take care mate hope Trev swings away from you and doesn't come back as they say.
Cheers
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on March 21, 2019, 05:17:19 am
Gidday Fellas, into our fourth evening of showers with not a lot of rain (180mm)
but constant,

180mm is just showers....seriously? That's more than some parts of Oz have had all year!

Take care mate hope Trev swings away from you and doesn't come back as they say.
Cheers
Mark

Seems like he is parked up for a bit around Aurukun/Weipa either building or dying,
who knows!? The rain band is intensifying and spreading though.
https://meteologix.com/au/satellite/1389-e-135-s/satellite-water-vapor-10min.html#play

And yeah, some would kill for just 30mm, but around here it's gotta top 200mm in a day to
get attention. Like, had a phone call with an old cohort in the South after lunch today and left
the vege patch to take it, leaving behind a 2gallon bucket with fork and pliers plus bits and
bobs. Shower came over during the call and so when I got back to packup an hour later the
bucket was overflowing, the floatables washed out.
It aint known as The Wet Season friviously, I tellya. ;-)

Cheers.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on March 21, 2019, 08:08:26 am
Bill
That is amazing. Must be mold growing out of everything.
Mate you can have it. So it's true what they say about you northerners you do have webbed feet!
Take care mate.
Cheers
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 21, 2019, 10:23:38 pm
Bill, looks like you are getting more of the wet stuff.
We could do with some more. Our dams are not full as yet. More on the way in about a week - so they say.
I checked all our hives. Lost a weak little swarm - not un-expected.
The rest are doing well - indeed i may take some honey off if the weather is suitable.
Not much flowering but the bees are bringing in honey : some white cappings and i can smell it in the evenings.
Any honey coming in, Mark?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 23, 2019, 04:25:30 am
We took some honey off today - about 60 kg from 4 hives. This time of the year I'm very carefull not to take too muc - flowering has eased but there is newly capped honey - snow white.
Interesting tasting honey - like a slight caramel/mocca taste.

Hot workinmg with bees - hotter tomorrow if we are game.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on March 23, 2019, 08:11:51 pm
Bill
That is amazing. Must be mold growing out of everything.
Mate you can have it. So it's true what they say about you northerners you do have webbed feet!
Take care mate.
Cheers
Mark

Yeah Mark that's those guys down on the Coast - Babinda to Cardwell, no ear hair, just mold! ;-))

Trevor has moved on and with luck is going to bring drought breaking rains to Central and SouthWest
grazing country. Some are already reporting falls of more than 100mm overnight (Maccas Australia - ABC).
Unpacking the cyclone packdown today we hope that's it for 2018/19 as the temps are dropping radicly
with 30C days and 24/26C overnight. Place should only take a fww days to dry out in those conditions.
Max would know when to pull honey so a bloke can only say he's on bl00dy good country pulling honey
in March - we can only hope there is blooms after this rain!

Cheers.

Bill

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on March 24, 2019, 02:37:08 am
Hi Bill and Max
Was going to get into the hives today but  36C and too hot to be playing around with that stuff. I find the sweat just continually runs in my eyes and a veil doesn't lend itself to wiping them all the time especially when the girls are wanting to get intimate with my head. LOL.
Fair bit of bearding today but not excessive so they are a bit hot.
I have no idea what they are working but I have 4 triples that need sorting, the honey smell in the apiary is amazing. 60% humidity so good drying day for the honey. Will get stuck in early tomorrow before the heat kicks in again and take those 4 supers off and check the others. I know one of the nucs needs a full size box as they have filled the lid.
In a former life keeping bees in NZ I would be getting ready for winter at this stage of the year. I am just in awe of this place (Sunshine Coast) if it weren't for the pesky SHB, beekeeping life would be perfect.
Pleased that the rain has stopped for you and it is drying a bit. Sounds good with the rain sweeping down the centre lots of prayers being answered, if you believe in that sort of thing.
Anyway off for a swim in the pool, gotta stay cool somehow.
Cheers
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on March 24, 2019, 04:31:34 pm
It's all happening, he's sitting right over the guts of the interior dousing the place.
A younger man would be loading the Hino, throwing the swag and campoven in the
cab and heading West.
A killing to be made on the wildflowers after this lot gets done, I tellya!

Cheers

Bill

-- http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/charts/viewer/index.shtml
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 25, 2019, 02:56:12 am
Yes, the wildflowers. I have been told some amazing flows of these. I wonder what the honey is like?

We have been working bees the last 3 mornings  - just a bit each day - too hot to hang around in the sun or indeed the beehouse.

Some very full supers and more coming in - not sure what is giving the flow? What is flowering in Palmwood- Mark. We have large areas of Cobblers pegs and they do keep giving. very reliable. The Flodded Gum is flowering and I'm told also some tallowwood - wrong tome of the year? Must have liked to rain we had a while back.

If the rain holds off we may take off some more.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on March 26, 2019, 09:23:59 am
Yes strange with stuff flowering again noticed that all the murraya are budded up and due to open again along with those you have mentioned the melaleucas are in flower down here. Was in the apiary tonite and plenty of nectar coming in.
 Pity there isn't someway to capture the aroma, just very different hard to explain sort of the sweet smell of nectar but also very foliage like, not floral as such and not earthy but combinations, really interesting aroma.
Meant to be a drop in temps tomorrow and rain coming till weekend, that will be that catalyst for more action with temps back up in the 30's after that.
May the flow be with you!!
Cheers
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 26, 2019, 06:10:09 pm
Yes, a bit of rain here. No bee work today. Still have a few hives to do and then I'm finished with honey for the season - I expect.

We have a large dam here - maybe 21/2 ha - the edge is covered in Snow Flakes ( the water type:)) and the bees love them. We have a total of about 20 dams - some small, but all the Water Lillies and Snow Flakes may even give us a bit of a flow at times.
The jaboticaba are coming out - always do with some rain.
A great day to do some bottling.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on March 26, 2019, 10:12:37 pm
Still raining here enough to keep us in the shed.... spanners are being thrown at grumpy bums. Heh.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on March 26, 2019, 10:46:09 pm

The jaboticaba are coming out - always do with some rain.
A great day to do some bottling.
Jaboticaba ........was down there a couple of days ago and no sign of flowering down here, but will go and check now you have mentioned.
Managed to slash bottom paddock before the rain arrived this morning...figured the neighbours should be wake by 6am :happy: It was thigh high after that burst of rain and all the heat we have had, grows while you look at it.
Noticed our Pink cassia flowering again as well this morning.
Enjoy your bottling. I always get mesmerised by the honey flowing in to the jars and at times am so engrossed I am a bit slow in shutting the valve! "Clean up in aisle 1!"
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 28, 2019, 09:42:52 pm
Still raining here and I would love to finish the honey before I have to start teaching for two weeks.
A bit of sun between good showers - not a lot but very useful rain. it will give us some soil moisture. Too early to say if it will help our Spring flowering. Some Euc's are budding - promising.
I have done the bottling I wanted to do - keeping some honey in buckets for the bulk buyers.

I would love to grow some Pink cassia but I guess we are a little too cool here. Plenty of the Senna - Eastern cassia here but the bees don't touch them.
How is the weather up north, Bill? Anybody out west?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on March 30, 2019, 12:24:36 am
[edit]
How is the weather up north, Bill? Anybody out west?

Still raining in fits and furrts Max, enough to keep bees at home.
Much more (time) and I'll be diving into the sugarbag I reckon.
BOM is telling us another monsoon is imminent next week, I have
never yet hoped they are more wrong... had enough well and truly.
Bees are coming into their 16th week of no fresh tucker.

Much of the bulk of the rain has moved to the sou'west where it
was desperately needed. We have a couple of refugees staying
with us as they couldn't get home for road closures... been handy in
catching up on some maintainence in the shed getting one tractor
going after a long spell idle. Heh.

Cheers.

Bill

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 30, 2019, 01:07:17 am
have a look at the radar, Bill -http://www.weatherzone.com.au/radar/qld/gympie/128km

Nice front passing us just North.

Not much rain here but enough to keep the girls in most of the time.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on April 01, 2019, 03:56:37 pm
have a look at the radar, Bill -http://www.weatherzone.com.au/radar/qld/gympie/128km

Nice front passing us just North.

Not much rain here but enough to keep the girls in most of the time.

[nods]
Still coming down here...got the Grumps now, well an' truly.

Comisserations.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 06, 2019, 10:49:58 pm
Glorious, perfect weather here today. Soil moisture is quite good too but we still need some more rain.
The bees are super busy and I can smell honey.
We checked a few hives the other day and hives I took honey off 8 days before had about 1kg of honey in each frame .

If this keeps up we will be taking a little more  off.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 10, 2019, 07:03:29 pm
Just what we needed, another beetle.

I have not seen them here but it appears that they are not far north from us.

http://afbrc.org/bis_hive.html
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on April 10, 2019, 07:35:42 pm
Just what we needed, another beetle.

I have not seen them here but it appears that they are not far north from us.

http://afbrc.org/bis_hive.html

Hey thanks for the headsup Max - I spotted a loner recently, taking note as we too
rarely see any significant SHB and this guy seemed larger as well as the wrong shape
being more like a ginormous stink beetle.
Great news is we have had clear skies for three days now and the temps have dropped
to low 30s with 20C being felt at night... so that is The Wet done and dusted.
Now to drag the bees back from the brink of starvation. WooHoo!

Cheers.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 10, 2019, 09:36:00 pm
" the temps have dropped
to low 30s with 20C being felt at night... so that is The Wet done and dusted."

 Time to get the beany out?

Nice to have some clear weather - the bees are super busy here. Need to check in a gew days what is going on
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on April 13, 2019, 05:45:00 am
Not quite yet Max as it has to get below 20 at night, but yes the cardigan
has had the moths shook off the last few mornings till smoko. ;-))
Bees are going like the clappers in rebuilding, dragging in mobs of cream
pollen yet no real sign so far of egg laying taking off. I figure they must
be on weed as I cannot spot a single tree in bloom as yet with those that
looked promising a few weeks ago all washed out.
Aside from the overall degradation of this exceptional Wet we lost our first
client's colony, a six frame nucleus 'rescued' in October. Wholly down to a
lack of sufficient stores to go the distance they pinged off on maybe the
second fine sunrise. Working - I thought - the evening before, gone by smoko
(~0900hrs) the next day. Turns out the gate was left at 9mm (robber mode)
and missed in driveby checks... so down to me, that one.
/smacks wrist/

And so we wait... for blooms.

Cheers...

Bill


Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: BeeMaster2 on April 13, 2019, 08:09:21 am
Bill,
?Working - I thought - the evening before, gone by smoko?
When is smoko?
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 13, 2019, 06:12:27 pm
Jim - " smoko" in Australia refers to morning ( or sometimes afternoon) tea. The name probably came from the fact that years ago everybody had a cup of tea and a smoke .The bees were gone by " smoko" - " morning tea" .
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 13, 2019, 06:14:05 pm
Hi Bill,

yes, the weeds. The bees have been busy here too with the days still lovely and warm. The mornings are on the cool side. Don't mind and I have the beany readdy
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: BeeMaster2 on April 13, 2019, 06:59:45 pm
Jim - " smoko" in Australia refers to morning ( or sometimes afternoon) tea. The name probably came from the fact that years ago everybody had a cup of tea and a smoke .The bees were gone by " smoko" - " morning tea" .
Thanks. Learned something new.
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on April 13, 2019, 07:24:37 pm
Thanks Jim 'n Max - adjusted my post to universal time for posterity and inclusion.

Cheers.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 13, 2019, 08:57:25 pm
0900  for smoko? You are early:)
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on April 13, 2019, 09:15:00 pm
Up at sparras/picinnini dawn/first light, Max... 0430/0500 at this time of
year - and at the wheel by 0600, Sundays being an exception as Macca's
 Australia All Over takes precedence.
Sooo 1000hrs,  Macca done, I'm off to mow a meadow. ;-))

Cheerio..

Bill

-- https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/australiaallover/
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on April 14, 2019, 08:06:50 am
Yep, me too sparras is best time of day before everybody else is even thinking about it.
Get to see some great dawns/sunrises.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on April 14, 2019, 05:02:14 pm
Yep, me too sparras is best time of day before everybody else is even thinking about it.
Get to see some great dawns/sunrises.

Yeppas, that big ole yella fella just keeps on giving. ;-))
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 15, 2019, 02:01:37 am
Just noticed some Paulownias out - far too early. Do they think it is Spring?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on April 15, 2019, 03:10:04 am
Warm enough.
 I missed the flowering but 6 of our Jaboticabas are fruiting again not a huge crop but will be enough for some decent feeds.
Out planting the garden a week ago and put some beans in and the germination time on the pack said 8 to 10 days, they were up in 5!
Soil is warm and odd showers passing through they seem to love it.

I know I should be thinking about venturing into our rain forest and cutting up some firewood from the fallen trees for winter  but it is still so warm I had a swim yesterday!
Enjoying it though.
Cheers
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 15, 2019, 04:29:11 am
Hi Mark,
yes, very warm but the mornings are getting a bit cooler.
I just come back from checking on my firewood as well. I planted  a lot of Casuarinas  some 20 plus tears ago and  we have been cutting them for years - they don't need much drying - easy. A bit hard on the saw.
We can get a lot colder here than were you are
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 15, 2019, 04:31:29 am
That was meant to be " years" rather then " teers":)
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: BeeMaster2 on April 15, 2019, 06:16:11 am
That was meant to be " years" rather then " teers":)
Max,
You can correct it yourself. Just click on the modify button, correct it and then at the bottom of your post, click the save. If you correct it before anyone else posts, it busts corrects it. If someone else has posted before you correct it, a note shows up on the bottom saying that you edited it on sos and so date.
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 15, 2019, 06:28:30 pm
Thanks Jim - were is that " modify" button? I can't see it?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: BeeMaster2 on April 15, 2019, 11:10:45 pm
Right above I Can?t.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: BeeMaster2 on April 15, 2019, 11:12:18 pm
It only shows up on your posts.
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 16, 2019, 01:40:32 am
Thanks, Jim - got it. I'm slow with computers!!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on April 16, 2019, 04:55:45 am
" I know I should be thinking about venturing into our rain forest and cutting up some firewood
 from the fallen trees for winter  but it is still so warm I had a swim yesterday!"

Lucky you on both scores Mark... around here unless it's rescue work you gotta
 be carefull pointing the saw at a tree these days, even the long dead.
Every treehugger has a 4by4 and 4G enabled mobile phone... and use them to be
where you'd least expect.

Cheers...

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on April 16, 2019, 05:57:24 am
Bill
I am sure they would have a hard job dobbing me in when they have been laying on the floor for years!

In a former incarnation when I was landscaping in Sydney there was one council that you couldn't even trim a tree branch, the mere whiff of chainsaw fumes would bring the wrath of the mighty!!
Most were pretty good up to 10% of volume, I'm all for conservation so was never going to hack down something just cos it interfered with someones view.

The stuff I have got here has been dead for years standing and then the roots have finally let go and are lying down to make it easy for me to cut up.

Alison is well again so we are heading off for a few days to Sydney and Mudgee for Easter. Quite excited as we have only left the house for the last 9 months to go to medicos. Getting a life again.
Have a great Easter all and stay safe.

Stay warm up in them thar hills Max.
Cheers
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on April 16, 2019, 06:22:31 am
/nods/
Our modern yippee does not recognise or worse refuses to recognise
by far the majority of folk on acreage value highly every square foot of it.
Somehow in their twisted jeans (pun) their misinformed perspective
overides property Rights. Gawd help the blackfella burning country!

Excellent news/outcome for the Missus... I hear the joy, Mark.
I don't have to tellya you're heading into the heart of leathercoat, leggings
and scarf country for the easter break sooo take care of the bug rage
and do choclate...lots of it.!!

Cheerio...

Bill

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on April 16, 2019, 07:13:38 am
I don't have to tellya you're heading into the heart of leathercoat, leggings
and scarf country for the easter break sooo take care of the bug rage
and do choclate...lots of it.!!

I hear you..... have had the sweaters in the wash to clean out the dust and mould! Going to do it hard when you are used to shorts and T shirt year round.
Reminds me of the time I got on a plane in Sydney when it was 43C and didn't get in to the fresh air again till I got off in Montreal at -6C and the heating was not working in the airport. Was ever so pleased to see the bag on the carousel and dived in for some warm gear!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 16, 2019, 09:15:25 am
Yes, Mark - good to hear all  is well on the health front and enjoy Easter.

I'm off Thursday/Friday to the hospital for some exploratory op and hope I will be Ok for Saturday Witta market.

Hope to start-up the chainsaw next week and cut down some Casuarinas we planted  many years ago to have a steady supply of fire wood - and nobody is going to stop me.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on April 17, 2019, 12:01:10 am
Afternoon all

My first study block complete and im home again!

 It has been raining up here all year, so i didnt really know what to expect on todays inspection. The fellow beek keeping an eye on things for me did an inspection about 4 weeks back and they had plenty of stores in my two strong hives back then.

My walk away split back in January (if you remember ) failed raising a queen (we were wrong). So i ordered one....fellow beek put her in and 4 days later the hive swarmed.

I was happy to find that that hive today is queen right and with a big fat golden marked queen laying eggs before my very eyes. Beautiful to see. So that hive accepted her and swarmed with a young one of there own which is odd.

Anyway all my 3 hives a great! We have had sun for 3 days now, still having showers though but its all good. The girls are bringing in nectar from various sources. One super is half way there capped from earlier,  and a third of the super has fresh nectar. I expect a small harvest in a few weeks before i head back to school again.

Too many beetles though. None in any of the brood boxes but killed 50 odd in the supers. Will up the trapping.

Im still dreading next swarm season...the girls have cups on standby just to remind me of their plans!!! I believe its pointless tearing them down. There is nothing in them, 4 or 5 in each of my strong hives. Am i right leaving them?

Im always reading your posts and learning....great to be home.

Rgds
Adam
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: BeeMaster2 on April 17, 2019, 12:23:11 am
We run a beekeeping workshop here at Crystal Waters today.

Wave after wave of showers but we managed to open a few hives and saw a couple of queens. No honey coming in but plenty of pollen. Very few drones and I wonder what this means? Still plenty of time before it cools off and I would have expected a decent population of drones to hang around. I guess the bees know something we don't.

Showers predicted for another week. The bees will hang in there.
Very few drones probably means the flow has stopped.
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 17, 2019, 01:05:57 am
Too late here for a heavy flow but the bees are busy bringing in nectar and the smell - fantastic!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on April 17, 2019, 01:43:23 am
This is only my second year and its very different to last year.....but i went away for a month this time last year and came home to a full super mid May.

Looks like i may get the same this year too. I dont seem to get big flows but when the suns out they find something almost all year round.

But hay its only year 2 for me....lets see!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on April 17, 2019, 11:34:28 pm
Afternoon all

Welcome home...you certainly picked the timing, perfectly!

Quote

Im still dreading next swarm season...the girls have cups on standby just to remind me
of their plans!!! I believe its pointless tearing them down. There is nothing in them, 4 or
 5 in each of my strong hives. Am i right leaving them?

Rgds
Adam

Once built and 'closed' it is quite safe to ignore them.
That said I always take them down as seen as often the bees will repair the interrupted
comb around them return the space back to brood rearing. Entirely user choice there
is no impediment to leaving them.
By "'closed'" I am pointing to a clue on knowing play from the real deal.
Over time check the difference out. You'll see a pattern where the mouth of the play
cup is noticeably smaller than the cup waiting an egg. It is a way of training the eye
so as make quick choices in flicking cells off a frame, when you're tackling 20colonys
 before smoko...?.... accurate speed is essential.

Cheers...

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on April 17, 2019, 11:41:02 pm
Took a drive to the outyard yesterday to do a startup (6frn nuc) and found as
zipping by the roadside a most pleasing sight with the wattlle holding tight
bundles of flowers about to burst open into full show. The bloodwood and
 ironwood both already out by about two days I reckon.
Bees in the outyard were going troppo....!.. woooohoo!

Sooo a bad patch done, getting through this one by the hairs of their
 chinny chin chins!

Cheers...

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on April 18, 2019, 06:32:10 am
Hi Bill

Yes mate i timed it well didnt I....thanks for the feedback on the queen cups and i get what your saying regarding "closed", mine are like that. I had a really good look at them yesterday.

Great to hear you have flowers mate!!

Rgds
Adam
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on April 18, 2019, 10:50:21 am
Hi Bill

Yes mate i timed it well didnt I....thanks for the feedback on the queen cups and i get what your saying regarding "closed", mine are like that. I had a really good look at them yesterday.
(edit)

..... brilliant maaate.!
/thumbs up/

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 19, 2019, 04:30:15 am
Just back from the coast. It is raining down there and indeed here at Crystal Waters  - nothing heavy at this stage.

The Teatree is out on the coast. Not sure if it doing much for bees. Will try to find out.

Years and years ago we used to shift nees to the coast - pretty well were the Maroochy Airport is now. 1oo's of acres of teatree and sugar cane. Most of it is not gone. There are still good pockets around but I never liked the honey...
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on April 19, 2019, 05:53:18 am
Just back from the coast. It is raining down there and indeed here at Crystal Waters  - nothing heavy
at this stage.

The Teatree is out on the coast. Not sure if it doing much for bees. Will try to find out.

Years and years ago we used to shift nees to the coast - pretty well were the Maroochy Airport
is now. 1oo's of acres of teatree and sugar cane. Most of it is not gone. There are still good
pockets around but I never liked the honey...

Yup, as they burnt cane to harvest - back then - the sticks oozed a treacle the bees loved.
Already a honey colour in it's raw form by the time it went through the  bee the capped
honey was almost molasses like. Throw in some tea tree and yes, not quality at all.

Cheers...

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 21, 2019, 08:13:50 pm
Yes, I remember it well. In those day Nabour had a sugar mill. cane was burned and then cut. The mix of sugar and Teatree ( and getting stuck in wet-spot between sugar cane fields) never made it worthwhile to take bees there.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 22, 2019, 06:35:45 pm
Excellent rain here! We had just under 150 mm ( about 6 ") in the last few days.
The Blue Gum is budding. They flowered briliantly last season and it is very unlikley that they will do the same this year.

The rain is much needed - great for all Euc's and generally if we get good rain this time of the year and some follow-up rain the Clover produces well.

We need the Clover for early splits...but this is a few months off.
Making up Nuc boxes - just in case.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on April 22, 2019, 08:00:48 pm
Posted in a rush...more later, paddock calls.
This is a Melelucca (sp?) this morning,  and black dots you may see are our Hocks
at it -  there being hundreds of them and one lone Apis bee... not one of ours.

Cheers...

Bill

--

[edit] add pix




Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on May 06, 2019, 07:41:07 am
I went up to west of Gympie today and the Spotted Gum was flowering.
More imortantly is that the Blue Gum  and Ironbark are budding.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on May 09, 2019, 05:13:51 am
Perfect weather and the bees are busy.
I opened a few hives and there is freshly capped honey in some frames. Indeed there would be some honey to take but with colder weather on the way I will leave it till Spring.
The smell of honey is really strong and I wonder what is out? Can't see much from here.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on May 11, 2019, 10:09:35 pm
Idylic here with a slow 5knot NorWestr bringing 22C and clear skys streaming down
the full 1200W/m2 I post to share this short story of a struggle to propagate bottlebrush
from cuttings using the humdibottle method. Three years, and today our first blooms
popped out - attached.
With maybe 29 in the ground the project is to plant a few hundred of these as they are
both Tet (native stingless bee) and butterfly friendly, plus the Apis get on them after lunch.
Wattyle stringybark, bloodwood and pentas are cracking on bigtime, so white wax is virtually
pushing the screws out of the box seams/joints!!
Happy Days indeed. ;-))

Bill



Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on May 13, 2019, 07:41:03 pm
Great!
Can't have too many Bottlebrush.
I have never tried to propagate them. We can get them here very reasonably priced as tube stock. They seem to last longer then the showy Grevilleas.
I planted many hundreds of Holy Basil - they seem to flower just about all the time and the bees like them. Never water them.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on May 15, 2019, 07:17:27 pm
We had light rain on most days and the place is GREEN!
Generally from May on we don't get much growth anymore as the night - time temps are dropping.

This year - very mild nights and things are still growing.

The fences around the paddocks near us and the road verges are covered in Sub-Tropical legume and they all are flowering.

The bees seem to like most Legumes and are having a field day.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on May 15, 2019, 08:49:26 pm
Yeah Max we do tubes also, it is maybe more of owned OCD in doing
propagation be it marcotting, grafting or cutting/seed raising.
In this instance (photos) we wanted replicas of the one tree that
was here on moving in, it's over 4m tall and drapes right to the
ground... something of a description none could guarantee we would
get from wholesale nursery. So we struggle on.

Today is somewhat clearer sky though still blustery from TC Anne
passing by further North bringing early 'winter' rains. We got just 10mm
over the two days at a rate of fall that barely wet a TallyHo paper!
Pi55ed bees off though as happens when on full bore flows it
gets cloudy and blowy - one of the dogs took two hits and I scored
three on my fat ar5e driving by on the ZT... n0t happy campers at all..!

I'll check out the Holy Basil, thanks... we got basil in small numbers but
it must be pagan as bees only go for it when freshly flowered, off it by lunch.

Cheers.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 02, 2019, 07:10:31 pm
Just back from a trip to Yamba NSW.
We travelled along the coast first and then turned West to Warwick and North via Gatton, Esk...
Along the coast the Teatree are flowering patchy. Some very well, othere have just finished.
Blood wood are flowering quite well.
We passed a field of Sunflowers with lots of bees on the flowers. Loads of Wild Mustard in fields waiting for rain. Indeed we travelled through some heavy showers but they need a lot of rain to catch-up.
They had some good frosts in the Tamworth area North I was told.
Cool mornings here but no frost.
Had 15mm of rain last night which is giving me hope for a Clover flow in some months.
I spoke to some beekeepers who keep bees in the Gibraltare range area and they were happy with the last season.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on June 02, 2019, 10:16:27 pm
First sunny day for a while now here Max, been getting regular 10mm
or so most nights and now the night chill has set in, low 16s...beanies
out, fire lit.
Loads of blooms around but no flying time and so the bees struggle on.
Certainly a different year!

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on June 03, 2019, 07:58:54 am
Attended QBA state conference last week and was chatting to a lot of guys from out Toowoomba way, absolutely nothing out there and they are moving them as fast as they can if they get a sniff of something flowering anywhere from NSW to up beyond Bundaberg to put the bees on to keep them going.
A big pollinator from down VIC was trying to get more pollinators from up here for Almonds as they will have shortage of over 100,000 hives. They are paying $117 per hive, told him that they need to start paying more like $280 then they will get the hives, the growers here still don't appreciate the value of the bees. Same in NZ a lifetime ago, Kiwifruit orchards were paying $50 now it is $300, they now know their crop depends on the bees and it is factored in as an expense just like the sprays, labour, packing trays you name it. US hives get $300 plus for Almonds.
All very well planting 1000's of hectares of trees for almonds and sitting down and calculating how much money you are going to make and not considering paying for the bees....they will come round when they don't get the crop tonnage.
I'm afraid some of the guys I spoke to haven't really done the numbers of shifting their hives down there, running their own trucks labour, feeding to get them ready for pollination. Their argument was "Well it pays my expenses for the season" I'm not saying they aren't smart businessmen.......buuut.
Meant to turn a bit chilly here tomorrow top of 18 and breezy. The girls will stay home and read a book or whatever they do when they don't go out!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 04, 2019, 12:34:20 am
Yes, cool here today and only a few bees venturing out.
Lovely day yesterday and they were super busy.
Polination prices need to be up-dated here as they have in the US.
With sugar prices so low more and more sugar farmers are moving into tree crops.
Up North ( Childers, Bundi ) the move is to Citrus, mac nuts and Avos and in Northern NSW they move into Tea Tree ( for oil, no flowers) and Mac Nuts.
In many cases there is no bush around meaning there are few if any pollinators and Honey Bees are the only option.

Interesting to hear the demand for Almond pollination - a shortage of 100 000 hives! Goodness! Were are these bees coming from?
I gather they are still planting Almonds with demand for the nut not knowng a ceiling so far.
Interesting times for the big beekeepers.
Meanwhile they need to keep the girls alive in between pollination.
Did they have enough rain in the Paroo area  for Euc's to flower?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on June 04, 2019, 06:20:40 am
Reads to me Mark even newer players are hanging on to an old
tradition, PMS. Poor man's syndrome has had many a c'mrcl go
down the gurgler simply through owning the guilts around making
a profit, a good solid profit.
At $117 and diesel being burnt at 16lt/100k I cannot see too
many eager to throw a swag in the truck and head down the track.

Hey, were you the tall dude in the black-n-white striped beanie-n-cardie
ensemble..? Heh

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on June 04, 2019, 07:58:42 am
Nah Bill never been that sartorially elegant, were you there?
Max the 100,000 was just for Almonds.
What is more scary, if I were a grower is the demand from other crops.
So the figures for current plantings and proposed (almost certain to be planted) are as follows.
Blueberry 11,000 Ha @ 8 per Ha 88,000
Avocado 3,800 Ha @ 4 per Ha 15,200
Macadamia 2,200 Ha @ 4 per Ha 8,800
Almonds 50,000 Ha @ 6 per Ha 300,000
These are figures just for QLD, NSW and VIC.
SA has another 15,000 Ha of Almonds going in but that was excluded because they can't cross the border.
So in summary they need 412,000 hives just to pollinate the crops in the ground or going in and a total hive population of 416,000. The problem being that most of that hive population is apiaries of 50 or less.
What is interesting is the total number of hives and the % that have 50 or more
QLD 104,000 20%
NSW 214,000 41%
VIC 98,000 19%

Those are total numbers of hives registered and as can be seen there is a large number of smaller beeks with less than 50 hives and they are not going to cart their hives anywhere.

And when Varroa arrives ,as it will, you can cut that population in half.
It is going to take a lot of people from both sides of the fence especially the growers to realise that their livelihoods depend on bees and that research money and a decent return needs to be paid to the pollinator.
What I found strange or maybe not given they are Govt figures, the latest figures for hive count was from 2014 and they "think" the numbers are about the same!
Anyway I have probably bored you to sleep with the numbers.

Today got to a balmy 16 felt like 9 with 20kts blowing, got the fire going tonight to warm up so nice and cosy.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: BeeMaster2 on June 04, 2019, 08:14:41 am
Bamboo,
Nice info. Thanks.
Sounds like the growers are going to have to pay a lot more to get the beekeepers to really increase their hive numbers to match their demand.
Almond growers in California are paying about $200 a hive for 7 weeks of pollination. This prints almost every commercial hive in the country to the almond area every year.
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on June 04, 2019, 10:19:55 am
Far from boring! Thanks gentlemen.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 04, 2019, 05:33:10 pm
Thanks Mark and all.
I have written to the new Minister for ag ( as I had done to Barnaby and David)
To allow imports of honey with the risks this adds is just crazy.
Bees get little attention in ag and yet all the hope for exports ( and we need to include pollination for seed production for legumes as well) is gone if we can't deliver pollinators.
Scary!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on June 04, 2019, 06:06:10 pm
Totally agree Max.

All importing honey does apart from the biosecurity risk is drive down honey prices for Australian beekeepers.

Capilano have now delisted so they don't have to publicly disclose their operations. They now have a large Chinese influence and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out what their game plan is.

Keep honey prices low here while promoting Australian honey as a premium product in China, import fake honey from China and sell it on the Australian market and watch the profits roll in.

Australia needs to market their honey under one umbrella someone like AHBIC as a premium product much the way NZ has with Manuka. Now the Oz beeks are screaming coz the Kiwis were smart and got a run on them by trademaking "Manuka". But that is another story.

There is an opportunity for the govt and a bee body to really push the pure, quality product and build a sustainable industry......will they?.. I doubt it.

In fairness AHBIC are pushing BQual so that could be a starting point.

My tuppence worth.
Cheers
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 04, 2019, 06:21:45 pm
I'm off today to Cambodia ( again - it is not a holiday, I'm voluteering) and then will de-tour to Vietnam for a trip. I will be meeting with the president of the Vietnamese Beekeepers Association and visit some apiaries. Vietnamese honey is the cheapest on the worldmarket and I would not be surprised if some of the " 70%" is of this origin.
Not sure how much I will find out. Shall see. I'm taking some honey:)
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on June 04, 2019, 06:37:54 pm
Have a safe trip.
We will expect a full report on your return.
Safe Travels
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on June 04, 2019, 06:49:02 pm
Pretty much sums it up Mark, to the best of our knowledge.
As to following the Kiwi line?
What we lack here is cohesion. I am not seeing any change
in that other than a "one band man" in Simon Mulvany, and
even that movement has aspects which are questionable.
And even over in the NSB 'marketplace' we are seeing the
same refraction of goals in this latest puff balloon of the
Australian Native Bee Association, newly birthed in Brisbane.

My personal faciltation days are done, travel being limited by
mobility issues, and sadly I have no faith in the industry being
tooled up to meet new challenges - VD as you mentioned earlier
being the significant cloud on the horizion it is.

Back to me shed and way rosier outlooks.
Enjoy Cambodia Max... you pick the best of times.
/smiles/

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 04, 2019, 06:58:43 pm
Thanks Mark and Bill. I will report back.
About " the best of times" - it is about 35C in Cambodia right now. No beany!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 26, 2019, 11:03:37 pm
Just back from Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand.
We had good rain here while I was away and no frots. It is still green. Very unusual for June.
I will check on the bees and would like to post a short report on the meetings I had with beekeepers in Vietnam but I'm bot sure how many words are the max for these posts?
And I have still not learned to down-load photos...probably never will:)
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: BeeMaster2 on June 27, 2019, 06:42:55 pm
Max,
Here is the link to resize a photo.

https://beemaster.com/forum/index.php?topic=51631.0

Once you have it sized, while in the new topic box, click on the Attachments and Other Options just below the text box. Then another line opens up, under Attach, click on the Select File, then it should show a list (on the iPhone is has photos) click on the file and find your photos, click on it and the photo should show up in the Select File box. The right of it click on the Insert Attachment.
Your photo will show up in your thread after you click on post.
I usually try to put a blank line before and after the Insert Attachment.
If you are posting more than one photo, click on the More Attachments and another line will come up allowing you to add another photo.
Good luck.
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 28, 2019, 07:13:18 am
Thanks, Jim.
I need my grand-daughter to help me with stuff like this:)
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on June 28, 2019, 09:15:00 am
Welcome back Max.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: BeeMaster2 on June 28, 2019, 12:38:45 pm
Thanks, Jim.
I need my grand-daughter to help me with stuff like this:)
Yea, my son helps me post the videos.
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 30, 2019, 01:51:04 am
Thanks, Mark.
Good to be back - how are the bees going?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 30, 2019, 01:53:47 am
Yes, Jim - this is the way the world is going.
My background it in Mechanical Engineering Design. Computers are a different kettle of fish.
How long can a post be? Do I watch to keep to a number of words? Not that I plan to post " War and Peace" .
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 30, 2019, 02:17:33 am
I opened my hives today.
As always you find the good, the bad and the ugly.

Actually nothing " ugly" to report but a " bad" one. One hive looks like it lost the queen. There is a little drone brood in the brood box and a few bees but it is a goner.

I have cut some brood out to send in to have a check. Just to be totally sure. I would like to use the gear again after a bit of a clean-up.

I did notice in some of the hives quite a lot of condensation. Some had none and I'm not sure what the difference is. We have had a lot of showery weather of late and this may well be the reason.
Some of my hives are not getting full sun in the winter and I will have to do some pruning.
I will also have to replace some supers and lids. Pine rots fast in our climate and there is not much worse than having equipment falling apart when you are busy.

Now to the " good"

About 1/2 a dozen hives have lids full of honey. A messy surprise and I will leave it until close to Spring - just in case the bees need the honey.
The hives I checked have lovely brood at various stages..
A couple of hives are a little low on honey but most have plenty. I could shift some frames around but don't like to do this if I don't have to. A bit of a wait and see how the weather works out.
There are SHB around in most hives. Some have quite healthy populations but most only have a small number of them.
Summary:
I will make up a lot of bee gear as I want to be ready for Spring .
With some hives full of honey I will need to take this crop off before we get any sort of flow. Considering the weather, I'm surprised that some hives have newly capped honey. What is flowering? When did the bees bring it in?
Suggestion: If you are located in SE Qld get you gear ready while you can ?.and keep an eye on your bees.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on June 30, 2019, 06:19:42 am
" Considering the weather, I'm surprised that some hives have newly capped honey.
What is flowering?
When did the bees bring it in?"

After what is coming up to near on 7months of poor doings we too are finally seeing
some action with numbers building (brood only) and cappings appearing above
brood in some colonys. The outer frames are still rattling dry where we have left them
in.
Where is it coming from?
There are some bees working calleandras (sp?) and a few hanging about the grevilla
with our Tets working the flowering Happy Plants - we have dozens of these - but most
bees are flying up from the direction of the creek so it is in the Bush where the action
is.
Great trip Max... happy to read no frostbite endured so looking forward to all fingers
working on your Tolstoy, heh heh

Bill

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on June 30, 2019, 06:45:32 am
Hi Guys

Just got back yesterday and checked on the girls today.

Im happy to say that my 3 hives are still going!!
Out of my 3, 2 have no stores at all....however they are all bringing in nectar!

I did notice a big Cadagi has just started flowering and is covered in buds. Is that usual this time of year? I havent had a good look around yet as i only got home.

Cheers
Adam
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on June 30, 2019, 06:36:05 pm
Yeh Adam, cadaghi (torelliana) will be along shortly as they bud for a few
weeks before exploding.
Gidday ;-)
If you wern't FIFO I'd suggest following our lead in removing the dry frames
but as it looks like we are going to slip into the warmer weather with no rain
forecast it is best to leave things be I reckon. 30 here yesterday, bees flying.
As a punt?
If your numbers are up in bees then be set for some work in midJuly, Cadaghi
can be prolific suppliers of all three resources - pollen/nectar/propolis.
Not so many around here but at our old location - Charlies Trousers - they
were everywhere, the ground littered with busted buds from the Blueys getting
into them and the occasional flock of Black Cocky.

Cheers


Bill


Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on June 30, 2019, 06:58:42 pm
Hi Bill

Great info!

Nice to know they will get some resources soon!
We have plenty of Cadaghi around here so thats great to know.

I have plenty of spare equipment ready for spring  as my next stint in college is a long one (2 months)  and i dont want to leave my fellow beek (watching my girls)... short.

Will have another look in 2 weeks.

Thanks mate.



Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 30, 2019, 06:59:01 pm
I asked a mate  who has bees at Witta ( near maleny) what was flowering there and this is is his response:

 The ten or so euphoria  ?bushes that I bought from Pat at the markets ?the several Chinese money trees that I acquired from Karen Sherwell (Kerry?s wife )several years ago ---The native mint bushes from Barry at Beerwah  Postenthera Lasianthus (Poorinda Ballerina)?Champhor basil ?2 large Sydney blue gums   There are broken off  braces of flowers at the base of these big trees ?also some citrus, like  Navel orange , grapefruit, pomello ?kaffir limes and New guinea lime tree and lemon and lemonade trees  --tuckeroo  , and wattles (several types ) and red   ti tree( 4off)  quite tall, & these are the ones I have noticed but , there could be more ,& In some cases it seems like some have had  a second blush.

About the cadaghi - they flower here around October. You will be woken up when the open well. The bees love them.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on June 30, 2019, 07:47:16 pm
Maleny... the foodbowl of flying things, eh Max ;-)))
October is s bit late for us, usually hitting low 40s
by then but yeh, you'd know better than I, they stay
budded up a looong time for sure.

Adam, we can only hope for a magnormous recovery
as 2018/19 has to be our worst year in living memory.
Near on greased up the trailer there a few weeks ago
as it just wouldn't give us a series of good days and
there were mobs of forage around, just not accessible.
Further west - up the Forty Mile Scrub way- it was dry as
a Pommy's towel, with reports Southerners were moving
in on the Wattle and Bloodwood... buuut we decided
to stick it out, migratory is beyond our ability these days,
and hey... as long as they are alive it is all good!

Cheers.

Bill


Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 01, 2019, 12:49:46 am
In June I had the opportunity to meet with a woman - Nguyen Thi Hang - who is the Vice President, general Secretary of a Vietnamese Beekeepers Association and the President/CEO of the Hanoi Honeybee Joint Stock Company ( Hanoibee JSC. - have a look at the website)  and visit a number of beekeepers.
 
In the general Hanoi area only Asian bees are kept. Further South Italian bees are quite popular.
 
I found out that no bees are kept within the city environments simply because there are too many lights and as we all know bees can be attracted to bright light.
I walked around the parks in Hanoi and indeed never saw a single bee. Plenty of flowers but no bees. A very odd  experience.
 
One professional beekeeper I visited is well known in beekeeping circles and highly respected.
He has about 300 hives.
His wife was the one who showed me around and opened a good number of hives.
All hives are singles. They are trying to keep the population modest to minimise swarming. Asian Bees have a reputation as heavy swarmers.
This is the off-season for bees in Vietnam but the hives looked strong. Each one we opened had some honey and plenty of brood.
Hives were kept in the shade of trees and were arranged in a circular pattern around the trunk.
I asked the beekeepers about the main issues they had to deal with, problems of concern.
To my surprise they all put Climate Change on the top of the list. They explained to me that the last few years summers have been extremely hot and bees can't find enough food - pollen and nectar to sustain themselves and produce a surplus.
They are also concerned about the low price their honey is fetching in the world market due to competition from within Vietnam and internationally. Vietnamese honey is the lowest priced honey on the world market.
Their seems to be a lack of cooperation between beekeepers which also results in low prices.
The beekeeper told me that he makes more money selling brood frames than honey. He sells a frame with brood for US$ 7. People would generally buy 3 frames ( as in a nuc) and get a free queen.
From his 300 hives he sells 1000 - 2000 frames of brood a year.
He sells his honey to locals for $US 3.50/kg.
Vietnamese don't eat much honey. Honey is seen more as a medicine ( for all ailments from skin to stomach) rather then a food. Some families are replacing sugar with honey and this may well be a trend.
To keep his bees well feed he has to move them 6 to 7 times in a year. He owns his own truck to help with this task.
I did bring a bee veil with me but never used it. The Asian Bees seem  to be a lot more gentle then our/my bee. I was right up close and never got a sting. My guide did cop a few on her lips but they did not seem to swell as stings from Italian Bees would in a tender spot like the lips.
Beekeepers tend to make some equipment and buy some. The quality of wood used appeared pretty poor. Hives were not painted.
No plastic frames were in use at the apiaries I saw.
Wax is seen as an important by-product and sells for about US$ 5.50/kg.
There are some pests - the beekeeper referred to them as " brood pests" but I could not find out anything specific.
Varroa is not a problem with Asian Bees and he was not aware of the SHB.
 
Some wasps can be an issue but he noted the many birds in his orchard as excellent predators.
The main nectar trees are Acacia mangium ( http://keys.trin.org.au/key-server/data/0e0f0504-0103-430d-8004-060d07080d04/media/Html/taxon/Acacia_mangium.htm)  from Australia . Apparently it produces honey dew rather then nectar?
It is a low priced honey and it tasted rather bitter to me. Some was fermented and of poor quality.
The best honey and the one bringing in the Dollars is Lychee Honey http://www.beeproductsthai.com/EN/Our_Product/151) and Mango honey.
I was not able to taste any of it.
Extraction is with a centrifugal extractor witch is hand operated . A very simple un-capping knife is used.
To open the hives and take out the frames no tool was used. I gave them a hive tool and they quickly worked out how to use it.
Thanks to Mrs Nguyen ( Hang) and the beekeepers for making me so welcome.
The villages we visited are located about 11/2 hr from Hanoi. An interesting trip.
The main crop on the hilly farms seemed to be Pomelo but other fruit were also grown.

There maybe not to many comparisons with keeping bees in Queensland but you never stop learning.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on July 01, 2019, 04:19:22 am
Thanks Max.
Very interesting read.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on July 01, 2019, 06:20:41 am
A most comprehensive insight Max into how the 'other half' manage an income on just 300 colonys.
A relatively small number when migratory "sideliners" here start at 500, true C'mrcls said to be
at least 1000 to get the return of the equivalent income for a comparitive corporate salary.
I am only pointing @ honeybadgers - no other arm of the industry here (.AU)

Yet something in that brief account got me beaming from ear to ear on connecting the dots, albeit
that b'keeps reason to practice is well foreign to ours (inhouse).
It was this;
All hives are singles. They are trying to keep the population modest to minimise
swarming. Asian Bees have a reputation as heavy swarmers.

How many thousands of words are both written and spoken repetitively reinforcing a message
"add space to prevent swarming", hey?
Yet here in what many would consider 'third world' we now read common practice - indeed
_compulsory_ - is to reduce space and control numbers! Sure such is done for a known swarmy
strain, buuuut it is the very same model we have used for yonks in setting colonys to pollination
jobs... maintain a single 9/10 FD at numbers around critical mass (CM) whereby they will neither
swarm nor pack the FD to the rafters with brood and so become 'lazy' bees.
Made me smile... I tellya!
... thankyou thankyou thankyou.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: CoolBees on July 01, 2019, 02:27:53 pm
Bill - I'm a new beekeeper - 4 years and learning by failure (mostly).  :grin:

Thank you for your insight on this. It makes total sense, but I wouldn't have figured it out for a long time to come - (if ever  :cheesy:) ... preventing swarming by reducing space .... makes perfect sense.

Thank you for sharing Sir!

Alan
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on July 01, 2019, 07:20:51 pm
Great stuff Max thanks for the update.
Yes Bill I was intrigued by the single box to manage swarming. Conventional "wisdom" is not always wisdom but pratices that are passed down and the more they are repeated by those with the loudest voices so that they become gospel.
I have had really good pollen flows here lately along with decent amounts of nectar, well enough as measured by the "nose test", if I can smell it coming in then ..... Been a bit cool and raining  here so have not been diving into hives.
In the interests of my unconventional mind, some call it weird :cheesy: I decided to do an experiment.
On the 27th May I split a hive into 3 and did walk away splits on the 2 nucs. Now "conventional wisdom" says you can't split a hive successfully in winter drones all kicked out for winter, too cold etc etc. Well the weather has been ordinary for the last month so I have left them alone to do their thing. On Sunday I had a quick look as it was fine and 23 and not blowing dogs off chains.

Result, 2 gorgeous new laying queens  and a healthy brood nest. All 3 nucs are doing well, I left the queen in the "mother" hive and all is well in all 3 colonies. Absolutely delighted.

Another little coup I had recently , we had Sunshine Coast Ag show with the obligatory honey and wax entries. Never entered anything before but thought why not. Had about 6 goes at trying to get a wax block perfect, whatever that is, and each time there would be something wrong with the pour, a speck of dust here, a dent, not releasing from mold you name it. Anyway ran out of time did one last attempt and had to submit as had no more time before entries closed. Ended up winning the wax comp, who woulda thought?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 01, 2019, 07:25:51 pm
Bill, good to see you smile...BUT....these are Asian Bees and I'm careful about translating it all into Italians.
Also, remember the beekeeper is selling 1000 to 2000 brood frames per year - say up to 7 frames per hive.
I also noticed that Asian Bees - and I'm no expert - don't seem to fill frames as much with brood as our Italians do.
I hate to think how much of the information was "lost in translation"


Having said that you do make a very relevant point.

About 50% of my hives are FD singles . I run 10 frames in them. I milk them for brood frames to make up my nuc's. The best produced 24 frames in a season and I took some honey off as well to give the queen space to lay. I don't think that one way fits all situations. Observation is the key. Beekeeping is so local. If we get a good Clover flow in a few weeks we will need to adjust and we will be busy. What do you think?
As you say, we don't want lazy bees:)
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on July 01, 2019, 09:48:16 pm
...good point

Maaaate, I' m going to suggest we move over to a new topic as this'un shouldn't
really be diverted, in all fairness. And I'm pretty sure our USA based b'keeps look
on in interest so we (Aussies) rightly should be inclusive..?.. it is bees after all, eh.
Maybe Alan would do the honours - being the "new bloke at the bar" like????
Hey Alan?

/tips hat/

I'll get back to these posts -  in response on forage stuff - later today.

Cheerio...

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 02, 2019, 07:25:51 pm
I spoke to a beekeeper near Glasshouse and one near Gympie yesterday.
Both commented about the poor flowering of Teatree ( it got washed out - quite common here).
Both mentioned that TALLOWWOOD is flowering. I have not seen any around here - it is a little early but that would be nice. Not much honey there but good pollen to build up on ready for Spring.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 03, 2019, 07:33:25 pm
Some extra information about the Teatrees.

This is a coastal spp. We don't have them growing here.

Many, many years ago we used to take hives down to the coast - pretty well were the Maroochy Airport is now. All the sudivisions did not exist then.

In those days  - talking here the late 70's - you had to travel between cane fields - there were 100's of acres of tea tree swamp.

In a good year you would get a lot of very dark honey. Never liked it but a religous group ( can't remember which one) used to buy a lot. In those days we got 50 cents for a lb.

Teatree can flower multiple times. Some say 6 times. I'm not sure about this.

The problem is that this is also the time when we get showers along the coast and wet weather turns the flowers yellow - no yield. Beekeepers call Teatree also " Rain Tree".
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on July 06, 2019, 02:52:23 am
More info on "Teatree".
The genus is Leptospermum ,and has 86 different species of which 83 are endemic to Australia and generally grows in what can be very loosely described as coastal areas, it doesn't mean that it can't grow inland but it is definitely not a desert or dry region plant. It is however pretty much "bullet proof" once established. It is quite common to see it on clifftops on the West coast of NZ growing almost horizontally due to the high and constant wind, so doesn't mind the salt air which most other plants will curl their toes up at.

"Teatree oil" on the other hand is not Teatree at all and is produced from the leaves of the Melaleuca, yeah I know go figure.

The NZ species of "Teatree"  L. scoparia is called Manuka and the honey from same also called and marketed as Manuka. Australians refer to it as "Jelly Bush" honey and you are quite correct it is a darker honey. I love it but I grew up on it but like you, many say it is an acquired taste.

Why Teatree? well one story I have been told was that Joseph Banks brewed some up for Cook and it was reasonably palatable.... seems feasible.

Teatree only flowers once per year but because there are so many different species and they all flower at different times it can seem that there are multiple flowerings.

 Simon Williams of USC has just completed his thesis on Leptospermum along with all the info on DHA and GMO values this is the medicinal values of it, very interesting he has a couple of books out on it as well, available from USC.

Cheers Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on July 06, 2019, 05:54:49 am
@Bamboo
 "Now "conventional wisdom" says you can't split a hive successfully in winter drones all kicked
out for winter, too cold etc etc. Well the weather has been ordinary for the last month so I have
left them alone to do their thing. On Sunday I had a quick look as it was fine and 23 and not
blowing dogs off chains."


2019 I reckon the "conventional wisdom" is up for a rewrite, Mark...
we have our avacados budding up, something that is an early
September event.
There are some mangoes busted into full bloom also, weeks early.
Whilst we've had a few cool nights (15C), when the sun is out
she's hovering around the high 20s, 31C the other day in full sun.
I'm trying to get some ground ready for melon and pumpkin... it is
that good, for vine crops..

On teatree... none here as I know it, a short (2.5m) tree growing in
"wet ground" on raised root mounds, like found in the channel
country. It is very aromatic when crushed and a known home for
paper wasp, they build some big nests innit. Mobs of it down
 around the El Arish, Tully, Murray Upper... or was, a lot of those
'swamps' been drained and sugarcane planted into them.

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on July 06, 2019, 07:38:37 am
Bill
Walking past our Mangoe the other day and all ready to burst out waaaay too early, it doesn't fruit till Feb.  No Mangoes last year and the locals go nah every second year I ask why and they say cos!
To my enquiring mind that is not an answer I need to know why every second year.

Lots of pollen coming in at the mo. Some very pale and some bright yellow. the bright yellow I am picking is acacia of some description that is with in flying range, the pale stuff? No idea.

Similar night time temps here but only low 20's during the day. Thinking of planting some gourds in spring, any experience with them? Not sure how they go in sub tropics, can't find much info.
Cheers
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: BeeMaster2 on July 06, 2019, 05:24:03 pm
Bamboo,
A lot of trees will only produce a bumper crop every other year. Case in point are oak trees. One year there are hardly any acorns the next year you cannot see the ground they are so thick. Producing fruit requires a lot of nutrients and energy. The second year they are in recovery mode.
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 06, 2019, 07:30:43 pm
There are a lot of fruit trees which have a bi-annual bearing habit.

We have 120 pecan Nuts. A great crop last year, not a nut this year.

Some trees can be manipulated into spreading the bounty. Have a look here: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/fegen/biennial-bearing-information.htm

Too early for gourds here - we would still expect some cold nights but in your part of Qld you maybe OK.

Gourds don't like humid conditions or wet feet.

Good luck with them.

PS - loved the info on Tea Tree!!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 07, 2019, 07:28:16 pm
Native Frangipani are out. Not sure if there is any nectar or pollen? We have some quite large trees here.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on July 09, 2019, 06:13:26 am
Rubbish at photography I can provide a link
to caliandra the bees are going troppo over right now.
We have four of these, and they were something we were
going to remove off the place until they flowered.

Messy plants they are very honest nectar producers.
We'll plant pups as they come up.

Bill
--


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calliandra
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 11, 2019, 06:32:21 pm
Our caliandra seems to flower pretty well all the time. The same with Cobblers pegs.
I left some cattle feed out ( mostly bran) and noticed the bees going for it. I guess they think of it as pollen.

There seem to be a lot of bees taking water too. I wonder if some of the honey in the hives has crystalised?

We are having perfect, very mild days - around 25C and there is a lot of activity around the hives.

The mornings are chilly indeed.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on July 11, 2019, 09:35:32 pm
Rubbish at picture taking, guys 'n gals, I attach the best of hundreds taken of
two of our caleandras. Dunno about flowering frequency as we always trim
 them back (hard) after these flower events - after cutting them at ground level
on moving in here. Took them back from maybe 5metres wide to just 1.5metres
and don't intend letting them get that huge again. Nice plant but a harbour for
nasties when let go rank.
And Max, I've known blokes to put out "poddy feed" for bees. It is like super
malted milk powder. Never done it myself as it doesn't fit/sit right for us.

[later]
I was trying to show in shots there is absolutey no pollen benefit for bees
in these flowers, diddun work out so well. So, the narrative goes like, whilst
they do swamp them it seems only a few of the actual ovum deliver nectar.
Some evidence says the massive display is their way of attraction as not
every ovum produces seed pod. In fact whole flower heads are unpopulated
 with a single pod.
In short, a Claytons crop... but when one is as short as we are right now for
forage "beggars carn't be choosers" applies. Heh

Cheers...
Bill

--





Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: CoolBees on July 12, 2019, 02:04:16 am
I'm sorry - I have to interject here - etalia  (bill): your posts are great! ... don't take this "wrong" ... they are just "great". Fwiw.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on July 12, 2019, 05:50:50 am
I'm sorry - I have to interject here - etalia  (bill): your posts are great! ... don't take this "wrong" ... they are just "great". Fwiw.
Heh... getting over the blushing fit I have to tell you
right now elsewhere I got me a posse after my neck
in a rope (metaphorical)!!
Pleasing as it is you yourself get value in a read, I remain
humble enough to understand the struggle some endure
in absorbing new concepts.
Yet we all must -  at times - soooo I adopt "what is good for
the Goose goes likewise for the Ganders."... served(I)well so
far in adapting to new stuff what works.
/waves/

One photo would not load to my earlier post. I reckon I've
fixed that and so attach it now. It is another caleandra, this
one with a pink varigated hibiscus as companion plant.
Both in flower.

Cheers...

Bill

--
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on July 14, 2019, 05:52:13 pm
Thanks Bill
I too enjoy reading your posts. Always interesting and making sense to me especially regarding location location.
Actually thanks to the three main contributors here for your efforts including Mark and Max, im always interested and learning and i dont think you guys get enough praise for answering questions and educating....well done CoolBees!

Sooooo.

Cadaghi my new best friend
 A lot of them are in flower and the girls as you say are happy. They are starting late due to 4 bee eaters, but flying hard by 10am till late.
One hive had 7 frames of bees two weeks ago and yesterday....packed box with burr comb on top!! Now a super. So pleasing to the eye.

Adam
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on July 15, 2019, 07:17:49 pm
tttt to ffh phhar  'kun   c  o   l   d    tt to   tyyyyy   p  e,  thi  ssss  morn.
13celcius an the fire is out!

Bbbbb I lll
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: CoolBees on July 15, 2019, 07:32:44 pm
tttt to ffh phhar  'kun   c  o   l   d    tt to   tyyyyy   p  e,  thi  ssss  morn.
13celcius an the fire is out!

Bbbbb I lll

Hahahahahahahahahaha! I love them days!!! Hahahahaha!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on July 17, 2019, 12:08:34 am
'Spoke' too early CB... she dropped to just a little over10Celcius as the
dawn broke, as is the way of it. Back up to 20C by 10:AM.
Today was forecast lower, but again as is the way of it she stayed
around the 15C mark... so hopefully that is Winter done and dusted
for us. Heh
There is some news on our "Snow in Summer" plantings, with some
budding up, I think. A bit early in the year so I hesitate to call it
until the floral part erupts. Some may recall this is the first of
our mass plantings designed wholly for bees - 50 of those linked to - and
not intended for FNQ as such but hopefully suits our microenvironment.
Budding (now) does appear to be out of sync with the label..!
https://austplants.com.au/Melaleuca-alternifolia-Snow-in-Summer

/fingers xrsd/

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on July 17, 2019, 04:44:59 am
10C.....mate you need to harden up 5 here this morning and I am sure Max would have been colder.  :smile:
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 17, 2019, 08:25:55 am
Yes, 1 C at the hives...but warmed up to 25C. If it cooles down I will change into longs.

Would you believe I could smell honey coming in today!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: CoolBees on July 17, 2019, 06:26:06 pm
'Talia - beautiful flowers. Would love to have some of those here.

Enjoy the cold for me pls - I was raised in deep snow - I live in sunshine yr rnd now. Warmth has its perks - but a snow cave has its place ...  :cheesy: ... cold mornings, when the fires out, and ya can't decide which you need to do more - answer nature, or get warm- all while tap-dancing ... ahh good memories.  :cool:
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 17, 2019, 06:34:28 pm
CoolBees - I was born in central Switzerland.
Having to go to school through deep snow, collecting fire wood with freezing fingers, not seeing the sun for weeks...yes, wonderful memories.
 :rolleyes:
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 18, 2019, 06:45:46 pm
I hear that the Mac Nuts are in full bloom N of Gympie - great honey!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on July 18, 2019, 08:23:54 pm
Makes sense Max...mine is in flower. I only have one though.

Adam
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 22, 2019, 07:42:24 pm
Peaches and Nectarones are out. This my sound like there is a good crop ahead BUT the Peaches are sown by birds and are along the river. Looks nice but the fruit fly will get the lot in a few months time. I used to go and cut them out but I have given up.
We are expecting 27C over the next few days and I need to open a few hives soon to see how they are progressing.
The smell of honey is in the air....
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on July 24, 2019, 08:29:34 pm
Paperbarks/teatrees have exploded, umbrella trees are having a go and the calleandra is still going strong!
Avacados and lychee are still a week or so away with the mango maybe going to beat them. All topsy turvy
buuut there it is! Bees don't care.
White wax is popping up on bars and the smell at dusk divine - so excited I'll try for a photo!

Cheers...

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 28, 2019, 01:53:46 am
" White wax is popping up on bars and the smell at dusk divine"

Indeed!

The weather was perfect and I had some help so we cleaned up the hives were the bees had built comb into the lid.

It is a messy job and difficult not to kill some bees.

I don't actually clean-up the space between the inner lid and the lid. I leave this for the bees. They will eventually eat it or move it into frames.

I just clean-up the space between the inner lid and the top of the frames. It makes working the hives much quicker later when I want to make splits.

I also take 2 or 4 frames out with capped honey. These are just about always frames 1/2 or 9/10. We run 10 FD frames - old habit and it works for us.

This will give the queen space to lay eggs ( and they have started ) There is nothing worse then having all these flowers out - plenty of pollen and nectar and the hives are honey bound.

We still have more than a month of winter but it very much felt like Spring yesterday - it was 29C!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 30, 2019, 02:25:43 pm
A few Ironbarks flowering in the valley.

The Blue Gum which did so well last year is very spotty - as has to be expected after such a good season.

I will be going up to Gympie tomorrow and will see what is flowering on the way.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 01, 2019, 06:32:40 pm
The beekeeper I was visiting is busy pulling Mac Honey. He has already made some splits - incredibly early.

From his place I could see the Tallowood flowering and the Ironbark along the way are out as well.

It has been much to warm here for July.

We had a good shower last night. It will freshen up some of the groundflora
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 04, 2019, 06:41:28 pm
I checked on some hives yesterday.
There is some drone brood but no Q cells yet. More honey coming in and with this warm winter these hives will start putting on honey soon.

The Tallow Wood is flowering heavy here. Magnificent to look at in the late afternoon sun.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 10, 2019, 04:25:41 am
The Wild Pear has just started to flower.
I did not record a date last year - should have so I can compare.

We had some good gusts and I found a branch of  tallowood - flowering and still a lot of buds.

The Brazilian Cherries are also heavily budding.

Bees are busy here.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on August 10, 2019, 07:18:36 pm
Well there ya go Max... the difference in Latitude, eh.
Ours (BC) show no sign, tho' being away for the week I'll get up the back
and check them later on. The bottlebrush(s) on the driveway are
just covered in bloom. Deepest red, they look great!
[later]
Found the Darwin Weeping Willow in bloom and alive with bees.
In contrast to the bottlebrush you have to look for the flowers as
you'll hear the bees first.

Cheers..

Bill

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on August 11, 2019, 12:00:13 am
Fantastic Bill...good days. Love seeing flowers and SUNSHINE!!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: eltalia on August 11, 2019, 04:41:13 am
Fantastic Bill...good days. Love seeing flowers and SUNSHINE!!
Coming out of a blustery NSW to this..?...!! we is spoilt rotton! Haa Ha!

/rumba/

Bill
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 11, 2019, 06:26:50 pm
These Bottle Brushes are looking great!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 13, 2019, 09:32:38 pm
14. August - the Paulownias are out and the bees are working them.
The first of the Clover is out as well. Looking positive
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 16, 2019, 01:54:40 pm
16. August - I checked the brood on 12 of my singles.
A different story to the doubles.

There is a lot of brood there - lots of eggs and also capped brood. Very busy hives and new honey too. Lovely to see the white cappings. Clover, I guess.
All hives had some drones, nil queen cells but they will be readdy in a few weeks to split.

I have not heard of any swarms locally as yet.
Witta, Maleny and Palmwoods are always a week or a little more ahead of us..
I note that the Liquid Amber was flowering on the 26. August last year - 10 days from now.
I will keep an eye on them.
Some very warm days with a few cool ones to follow predicted. Spring is just around the corner.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 22, 2019, 06:12:44 pm
I went to see a beekeeper who has bees near Maleny. He mentioned the Yellow Stringybark flowering. It is a tree I don't recognise.

I did note a lot of very yelow pollen in his hives.

Not sure if there is a connection - I need to do some research.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 23, 2019, 12:18:59 am
" Early on Friday morning, the temperature dipped to a low of 8.9 degrees at Cairns Airport. This was the site's lowest August temperature in 56 years."

I can hear Bill shivering :grin:
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on August 23, 2019, 01:10:43 am
Ha ha...

According to my wife up the hill in Kuranda was only 2.0 !
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on August 23, 2019, 04:27:28 pm

According to my wife up the hill in Kuranda was only 2.0 !

WHAAAT!
That aint no Winterless North. :cheesy:
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on August 24, 2019, 12:18:49 am
Crazy isnt it. She may have been stretching it a bit but we are usually about 3 degrees under Cairns, as we are about 400m above sea level.
All this cold weather....dont know how you Southerners cope!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 25, 2019, 01:22:08 pm
I went to have a check on the Liquid Amber yesterday - it had bud burst last year on the 26. August - and , YES, it had just budburst a matter of  a day or two before.
The flowers will be out in a couple of days and the tree will be buzzing with bees.
The Wild Pear is in full bloom too.

I went for a walk earlier in the day to the back of the property and the bees were busy in the Tallow Wood..

A quick look at some hives too: not many drones but there is honey coming in. We are supposed to get some rain later in the week and this would help the Clover.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on August 25, 2019, 08:07:20 pm
Hi Max

Im trying to learn more about flora so i googled Liquid Amber and aren't they beautiful in Autumn. I read they have copious pollen. Do you know if they provide much nectar?

Adam

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 27, 2019, 04:12:29 am
Hi Adam,

the lovely Autumn colour is only displayed if the Winter temps are low enough. Here our Winters have become very mild - no real frost anymore.

As far as I have observed bees are only getting pollen from Liquid Amber. - it seems lots of it.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on August 27, 2019, 04:23:58 am
Thanks max!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 30, 2019, 04:47:05 am
30.August . 2019 - White Cedar - Budburst!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 03, 2019, 09:07:28 pm
4. September - we need rain! The clover is flowering quite well and the morning fog keeps it all going.
We can be thankfull for all the Cobblers pegs which have not been frosted this winter: great pollen and the bees really need it at the moment.

I made-up the first hadfull of splits- nice a strong hives with plenty of eggs, larvae and capped brood. Good nuc's.
I can't get any queens as yet so I make my own. Takes longer but so be it. Just shows that queens are good value!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 05, 2019, 01:20:57 am
5. September - Crofton Weed ( locally also known as Mistweed) is flowering and the bees are on it. The pollen is not of high quality but as it generally grows in the shade  during this hot spell it maybe what bees can find. see here: https://www.honeybee.com.au/Library/pollen/riparia.html
The native Rasberries are also flowering.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 08, 2019, 10:10:09 pm
September 9 - The Jaboticabas are if full bloom this morning ( last year it was on the 15. September)
We are experiencing rather strong winds here for the last few days and some bushfires not far away and the bees are not working the trees as they usually would. The wind is supposed to ease tomorrow.
We need rain!!

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 09, 2019, 02:50:50 am
Just back from checking on cattle and things in this windy weather.

I found a small branch of a Euc on the ground. The little branch is full of buds. The buds are typical Flooded Gum like ( E grandis) but the leaves are too narrow?
They look more like the leaves of E seeana?
Can anybody help?
It is possible that a number of Euc's have crossed in this valley...it happens.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Milo on September 09, 2019, 09:37:52 am
Try this - start by entering the flowers, leaves & bark from the selections available

CSIRO EUCLID Identifying eucalypts made easy

The guide called EUCLID helps anyone to understand and accurately identify a eucalypt with limited information.

https://www.csiro.au/en/Research/Collections/ANH/Supporting-conservation/Identifying-eucalypts-made-easy
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 09, 2019, 05:46:13 pm
Thanks Milo. Only problem is that I have no flowers and I don't know from which tree the branch came from. All I have are leaves and buds.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Milo on September 10, 2019, 06:45:41 am
Post a photo and let?s see what we can work out
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 11, 2019, 12:34:18 pm
Post a photo?
I have no idea how to do this. I don't even own a mobile :grin:
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Milo on September 12, 2019, 09:17:20 am
LOL

it will remain a mystery
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 12, 2019, 06:41:55 pm
I spoke to a few beekeeprs this week and there seem to be no big flows going - except in Emerald ( so I hear) with the Citrus.
The wind and coolmornings/warm days/lack of rain ar simply not a good sign for our bees.
How are things in Palmwood ( Mark) and up North ( Bill)??
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 16, 2019, 07:39:47 am
16. September - the Deep Yellow Wood is just starting to flower. One thing keeping bees happy for a while!
http://www.saveourwaterwaysnow.com.au/01_cms/details_pop.asp?ID=317
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on September 17, 2019, 05:00:35 am
Not sure what they are on but there is a decent enough supply coming in, I wouldn't call it a flow but they are filling the lids.
Have been a bit remiss lately as I have had so much on. Did a full inspection today and I need to take some frames out that are full and capped. Reluctant to put supers on. As I said there is not really a flow will micro manage for a while till I am confident there is enough around to keep them flat out.

 Brood boxes chockers so that is a good sign, did some splits today and will do some more tomorrow.
Really pleased with big healthy populations and very few SHB.

Lot of ageratum (goat weed) and a fair bit of clover as well down here altho the clover is just about had it without any rain for so long. Looking at the radar tonight and there seems to be some sprinkles coming from your way Max...not holding my breath. Seems to some decent stuff going through Brisvegas and Gold Coast at the moment.
Cheers
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 17, 2019, 05:09:26 pm
Good to hear from you, Mark.
We got 1 mm of rain last night. Not sure if this will make any difference.
The brood is great in my hives too but there is very little honey.
How much rain did you get?
Haven't heard from Bill for a long time. Hope he is just busy.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 18, 2019, 05:35:59 pm
This is a very unusual dry here in the valley.
We had longer and dryer spells in the past but this time night temps have been lower and day temps higher by about 2 C. I wonder if this is making the difference?

Yesterday, maybe for the first time ever, I saw a bee on lantana flowers. Lantana is a weed here and the bees don't work it ( low protein, I understand). They must be desperate to visit the flowers.
There is some rain predited for next week. here is hoping.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on September 19, 2019, 04:55:38 am
We only got 1/2ml not really enough to keep the dust down! Let's hope the forecast showers come and get some action happening in the trees.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 21, 2019, 09:14:09 pm
22.August - Eucalyptus cloeziana ( Gympie Messmate) is budding very heavily. It generally flowers at the ned of the year. Not sure if it is worked by bees much?Anybody know?
We have quite a stand of them. Something to look forward to.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 23, 2019, 06:16:47 pm
24. September - the White Cedar is in full bloom. A week earlier than last year.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 29, 2019, 05:43:37 pm
30. September - Silky oaks ( Grevillea robusta) are out. The bees generally work them. These trees are often near water and the dry would not worry them too much
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 02, 2019, 05:50:31 pm
2. October - Noticed that the Pecan's are in leaf. The flowers will not be far behind.
We had some rain - 6 mm. Better then nothing but the coast got over 100mm. Hot days ahead.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 03, 2019, 01:40:42 pm
4.10.2019 - we have a small orchard of Makut Limes ( Kaffir Limes) and they are white - full of flowers.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on October 03, 2019, 06:19:14 pm
Finaly some rain up here....started yesterday and its been raining all morning. We have had about 20mm so far which will kick things along a bit!
Lots of nectar comming in at the moment. We still have the last of the Cadaghi and the Oak is starting....Golden Oak i think. The bees make yellow wax when it comes in and i only have white wax at the moment....May have my Oaks mixed up.

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 06, 2019, 06:12:48 pm
There is one positive about this dry period: flowers seem to be more vivid. The Red Bottlebrush is out and the display is amazing. The bees are happy for every drop of nectar.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on October 08, 2019, 11:34:48 pm
Posting an image for the first time so hopefully it works...

Bumpy Satin Ash is flowering in the rainforest. All the natives go crazy over it, birds and bees alike. My girls were all over this tree this morning which borders my front yard. Its a beautiful tree.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on October 08, 2019, 11:44:46 pm
The flowers grow directly off the trunk. They form a native fruit about the size of an egg.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 09, 2019, 12:36:10 am
Great photo!

thanks
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on October 09, 2019, 04:31:35 am
Thanks Max...something a bit different.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on October 09, 2019, 06:41:59 pm
Song of India Dracaena reflexa flowering down here great source of nectar. Bottom paddock full of ageratum, the neighbour hates it but I leave it for the girls!

Looks like some rain over the next few days which will help. We missed all the last lot all bar 25mm when Maroochydore and others very close got 100mm. Watched it go all round us on the radar, such are the vagaries of weather and location.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 11, 2019, 03:39:19 am
11. 10. 19 and the jacarandas are in full bloom. As they say: ""When the jacarandas are in bloom each spring, the honey is translucent and sweet, almost like maple syrup."

We are getting some rain - hope you are too!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 12, 2019, 05:58:44 pm
We got 40 mm of rain. The grass looks greener already and the Clover will love it. We can expect  aflow in days . It may also lead to swarms...Other parts of the stae got more but we are quite happy with this. the best rain for yonks.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on October 14, 2019, 11:08:00 pm
We got 67mm .....the place has gone green overnight! We had another little storm at 0200 this morning and picked up another 5mm so great result.
Jacarandas are also going off down here.

Bit worried about Bill hasn't replied to emails either.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 15, 2019, 04:07:40 am
Yes, we had a little storm too but I don't think we got anything into the gauge.

I too wonder what is up with Bill??

I hear Swamp Mahogeny  (https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/22843#tosummaryOfInvasiveness) is doing Ok in parts.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 17, 2019, 08:08:47 am
17.10. - the Pecan's are buzzing with bees.

While Pecan Nuts are wind pollinated the bees love the pollen and seem to be collecting it ALL DAY. It is a great time to have this supply as this is nuc making time for us. I'm near two Pecan Orchards and I'm sure that the trees are most helpful to the bees feeding of baby's ...and the bees will help  the trees setting a good crop
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 21, 2019, 01:22:18 am
21.10 - Lomandra is in bloom. The plant is well established all along the river.
The sweet smell can be picked up a few hundred metres from the river. The honey we harvested smelled very similar - unusual but stunning.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 22, 2019, 05:51:51 pm
23.10 - the Jaboticabas flowered profusely only a few weeks ago and this morning one of them is covered in flowers and bees. These are amazing small trees for bees.
The fruit was all destroyed by birds.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on October 25, 2019, 10:01:14 pm
Not sure of the species (we have 20 odd different ones) as I have not positively identified it yet, but the bees are all over one of my clumping bamboos. So many in there that initially I thought a swarm had landed in it, the noise level was so high.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 27, 2019, 04:58:59 pm
There is a lot of Bo here at CW. I have to check if any is flowering. I believe that Bamboo often dies after flowering?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on October 29, 2019, 09:14:31 am
Yes Max that can be the case, but generally that is with species that flower once every 20 to 60 years. No one has actually worked out why they flower so infrequently and then die.
The species I have flowered last year as well so is herbaceous and they don't die after flowering. There are around 120 species of herbaceous bamboos so not many for me to try and chase it down as to what it is.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 30, 2019, 05:18:26 am
Most of the Bamboos here have been planted by Hans Erkin. He is a bit of a Bamboo Guru around Maleny - I believe. I have no idea which ones we have here but there is a lot.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 31, 2019, 05:31:09 pm
1.11.19 - the toreliana's are out. Not a lot of flowers but the bees like them. We did have so little rain and these trees need a good drink to do well.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 01, 2019, 05:21:39 pm
2.11.19 - The weeping Lilly Pilly ( Waterhousia floribunda) are flowering in Maleny and in heavy bud here. It is a very reliable producer of honey as it mostly grows along creeks and rivers and is not affected a lot by the dry.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on November 01, 2019, 05:29:35 pm
Hi Max
Ours have just finished up here. Full of flowers this year as you say. We probably got a good month out of them.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 01, 2019, 06:04:09 pm
Good to hear - did you get a flow out of it?
We are getting a few showers here but it is very dry. Here is hoping for a good wet without the floods!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on November 01, 2019, 11:08:03 pm
We have had a bit of a flow yes.

Unfortunately i had lost two swarms from two of my 3 hives (now 5) early on this year when i was away. They r booming now and 1 has a super half full.

The third remaining hive:
Has made me two nucs, which have expanded over the last month from 2 frames to 6 frames and r now in hives!

Has also given me one small harvest a month ago from the Cadaghi ....the super is currently full of honey and nectar and i have thrown another super on it.

So i would say its been a great month for my girls. We got 40mm at the start of October, then another 40mm two weeks later. Getting a few showers atm but not much.

Golden Oak is flowering up here now.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 03, 2019, 02:44:06 pm
We are getting a few light showers - that is all for now. It is very dry.
Always a bit sad to loose swarms. It is like a set-back for the honey too.

The nuc's are doing well and I have not been feeding them at all. never have to.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 04, 2019, 09:07:30 pm
I have been checking my nuc's in a yard were I don't go every day.
I noticed a Leptospermum flowering.
It is quite a tree rather then a shrub. I'm wondering if it is Leptospermum flavecence?! also know as Wild May.
The timing would be about right.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 08, 2019, 05:21:30 pm
Just noticed that the Tipuana Tipu ( the Pride of Bolivia) is flowering.

It has been very hot and very dry but these trees seem to do well under such conditions.
The Jacarandas are still flowering too.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 10, 2019, 12:42:03 am
I'm told that the Brush Box is coming out on the way to Maleny. Always worth keeping the eyes open for them.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 12, 2019, 04:31:51 pm
13. 11 - the Buckinghamias are out  and doing well. Last year I noted them on the 18. 11. Maybe the dry is bringing out the flowers a little early?
This is a close relation to the Mac Nut. I wonder if it is safe to assume that the honey is a sgood?
It is used a street tree around here ( eg Landsborough)
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 16, 2019, 01:56:03 am
Waterhosea floribunda https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/waterhousea-floribunda-weeping-lilly-pilly/

Is now coming into full bloom. The bees love it and we have quite a lot of these trees along the Mary River. While it is very dry Waterhousea can access the water from the river and seem to be specialy splendid during these very dry years
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 17, 2019, 04:56:46 pm
The Mexican Tree Fern is flowering . It is recognised as a bee tree but the flowers are too high and make observartion near impossible.

We have quite a number of these trees around here, possibly sombody distributed seedlings some years ago.
https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/48989
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 20, 2019, 07:55:07 pm
21. 11.19 --Albizia chinensis: https://www.pugetsoundbees.org/bee-lunch-silk-tree-albizia-julibrissin/

The information above is for A. julibrissian but I assume that A, chinensis is not far off.

The bees love the flowers. Absolutely buzzing.

The tree seems to spread a little as we see trees coming up ( and growing fast) in odd locations
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 23, 2019, 03:45:22 pm
We took some honey off - not much, just enough to keep the markets going.
The Waterhousias are in full glory. A bit of hope for the bees.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on November 25, 2019, 03:23:50 am
Have you increased price since our last discussion some time ago? Good argument due to drought and no real flows happening yet.
Took some off on Sat as well, probably another 120kg to come off yet as well.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 25, 2019, 07:18:55 am
No, the price is still the same...what is the going rate on the coast?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on November 25, 2019, 07:32:23 am
Hard to say but I am selling mine at $10 per 500gm glass jar.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 25, 2019, 10:53:24 am
Looks like we are too cheap at $ 7 for a 500g glass jar
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on November 26, 2019, 02:43:14 am
Now would be a good time to have a price increase. EVERYONE knows about the drought and hives being burnt in the bush fires and that the public have been told that honey will rise in price due to all those factors. Highly justifiable and most people would understand. Market economics supply and demand. I'll guarantee our flows won't be like last year.
Cheers
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 27, 2019, 04:42:26 pm
I have to have a look into this. There is so little to sell..
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 28, 2019, 04:10:14 pm
29.11.19 - Angophoras are flowering.
Not totally sure ehich one it is? I should take a closer look and key them out.

Both seem good for the bees here. https://www.honeybee.com.au/Library/pollen/costata.html
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 30, 2019, 04:36:29 pm
1.12. 19 - I'm told that the Ironbark is out on the ridges. Anybody else seen any? Any Brush Box out?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on December 02, 2019, 03:34:31 pm
A species of Leptospermum is out down here at the moment. Not sure which one of the 86 it is. Might need to get Simon Williams around for an id. Don't see much activity on it.
 
We only got 8mm on Sunday evening it all seemed to go south of us. Did you get much up there Max?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 18, 2019, 05:27:10 pm
Hi Mark,
I have been away for 21/2 weeks volunteering in Cambodia - just got home with a cold...I think the result of AC.
Looking out from our verandah I can see the Angophora in full bllom. Mt wife tells me that she can smell honey in the evening. here is hoping.
We had 8 mm while i was away - very dry all around us.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on December 19, 2019, 06:41:47 am
Welcome home Max
Not much flowering down here, had to steal some frames of honey from a full super for some nucs that I had promised tonite. Nothing much apart from a few palms def no flow down here. We are so dry the grass is crunching underfoot now. Had a great crop of dandelions....didn't mow the place so the girls had something at least. Finally slashed the bottom paddock after a couple of months no flowers of any description and it was becoming a fire hazard. Everyone is a bit on edge with the slightest smell of smoke.
 Had guests staying and a heap of people round for drinks on Sat night and ran out of water!! Long story but took me 7 hours to get pump going again.
Off to the big smoke, literally (Sydney) on Sunday for the Xmas break.
Hope you and yours have a safe and happy Xmas and the fires stay well away from us all...rain would be good too.
Cheers
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 19, 2019, 07:13:20 am
Hi Mark,
yes, good to be home.
All brown here too. But others are in an even worse situation. Not a good time to run out of water:)
Enjoy your time and Sydney - been a while since we lived there - 1974.
All the best for Christmas and lets hope we get a decent wet season to get things to normal.
Beekeeping is more fun with flowers.
all the best
max
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 23, 2019, 04:44:54 pm
I had a look at some hives and there is definitely a flow on . You can also smell the honey in the afternoon. The hills are a little far away but I can see trees flowering - most Likley Ironbark. I guess E. crebra. The nectar from this tree can varii a lot but it is a great provider of pollen and I definitely see a lot of pollen in the hives.
Showers predicted - up to 40 mm - for the next couple of days and I do hope we don't miss out again.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 23, 2019, 04:47:21 pm
More on E, crebra: https://bie.ala.org.au/species/http://id.biodiversity.org.au/node/apni/2892197
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: felmo1 on December 25, 2019, 03:33:52 am
I see when traveling down to the coast that the Golden Penda is in flower.
Not much around home with the bees holding their own but that's all.
The rain as usual is only been part of what was forecasted but better than nothing.  Hoping it provided enough moisture for any flowering trees to produce nectar.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 28, 2019, 05:51:59 pm
We are taking honey off at the moment. No doubt the Waterhousia contributed to the yield ( we are avearging about 14kg/hive) but I'm pretty sure that the narrow Leaved ironbark is flowering. It is near impossible to go and check as the trees are on a steep hill across a large property.
Any locals know?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 02, 2020, 04:06:38 am
We have been taking some honey off over the last few days.
Some of the hives were full to the brim.
This is rather surprising as it has been very dry here for far too long.
Another thing I noticed: fewer SHB then last time I had a check and there is a lot of pollen - a huge amount. Again a sign of Ironbark - me thinks.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 03, 2020, 05:49:14 pm
4. Jan - The jaboticabas are flowering. A little rain 10 days ago and they are out again. Amazing trees.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: felmo1 on January 03, 2020, 06:00:41 pm
I see the Ivory Curls (Buckinghamia Celsissima) are starting to flower along the streets of Landsborough.
Max, pleased that you are starting to see some honey flow.  None here (Montville) but probably need to be patient.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 03, 2020, 06:18:05 pm
As said a few days ago I think it is the Ironbark ( E. crebra). I can't get close enough to make sure but the combination of a honey flow ( we took off close to 400kg in the last week) and the amount of pollen I find in the hives points to this.
I will be making some more nuc's this coming week. Late, I know but with the flow on it should work out.
I have people waiting...
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 06, 2020, 04:23:31 pm
6. Januaray - the Gympie Messmate ( E . cloeziana ) is flowering. Can't find much bee/honey info about this tree.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 07, 2020, 07:45:21 pm
Spoke to a beekeeper yesterday and he thinks that it is the Bloodwood flowering, nit the Ironbark
Confusing - the honey does not look or taste like Blood wood honey.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: kanga on January 08, 2020, 12:25:21 am
Out checking on some hives today at the southern end of the Gold Coast and noticed that there is quiet a lot of Bloodwood flowering. Bit early to tell if the bees are getting any nectar from them.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bob Wilson on January 08, 2020, 07:33:38 am
I live in the States, but I have begun something new, because as a new beekeeper, I have not the slightest idea what flowering plants is coming next. (Loropetalum right now) So in my work calendar book I am beginning to write down each plant I see blooming on the day I see it. What I wonder about is all the major flow plants with inconspicuous blooms I never see.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 08, 2020, 04:34:24 pm
Hi Bob,
this is what i do here. Hopefully it is of some use to others as well but basically it allows me to check what was flowering a year, two years ago.
Why not start a forum " What is flowering in Georgia"?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bob Wilson on January 08, 2020, 05:16:48 pm
Max. I do believe I will. Perhaps a new thread in a more appropriate forum spot. Thanks.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 10, 2020, 05:04:14 pm
They teel us that we should get some rain in the next few days. We hope!
This long dry has quite an impact here.
There is not ground flora flowering. Weeds our bees depend on to some degree are dry as a bone.
Even our native trees are suffering: in front of the house I have a dead leptosprmum. Up the road the Red Cedar is dying, the banksias are dead, Eucalypts on the ridges acros the dry river are struggling.
The Pecan Nuts on the river flat are doing well. The Rain Trees too are bright green. The Rain Tree is seen as a weed here.
This is a new situation and it will be interesting how nature responds after rain.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 11, 2020, 05:33:57 pm
Blood wood is flowering down the coast!
...and we had 11.5 mm of rain lasy night. It is a start!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 14, 2020, 04:25:27 pm
15. Jan 2020 - the wind blew some small branches of some tall gums - the Blu Gum is just starting to bud. Promising!
Blue Gum can flower for months in a good year usually starting mid winter and flowering well into Spring. In an avearge year we get some honey off them. Hope!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 16, 2020, 07:23:21 pm
17. 1.2020 - the Leopard Trees are out! last year they started to flower on the 8. jan
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: mat1 on January 17, 2020, 06:36:03 am
I think the hickory wattle just started here in the last 3 days

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Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on January 17, 2020, 08:26:58 pm
Hope you got some of that rain last nite. 56mm down here and 20mm  a couple of days ago.
Things have really greened up from being brown.
The bees are loving Murraya but no Jaboticaba flowering down here. The Cassias are going well.
Cheers
Mark
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 18, 2020, 04:28:26 pm
Hi Mark,
we had another 27 mm over night - a total just over 100mm so far all up.
Lovely rain - no real heavy showers and most has now sunk into the soil. The Mary is flowing again.
A few weeks and the Cobblers pegs and other weeds will provide some pollen and nectar.
I have 9 nuc's here I should check. I made them up about ten days ago and want to see if the queen is laying. I'm getting another few queens tomorrow - mostly to replace any failures. I think this will be it for me as far as nuc's is concerned for the season.
Hoping for some honey in a couple of weeks.
We fenced a new beeyard on Friday and I will be shifting a few singles there as soon as we get the stands up and the fencing finished. Great location - very close to the Maleny NP , close to water and easy, private access and excellent mobile phone reception. We maybe able to place a camera there. 15min from home!
max
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 22, 2020, 11:39:29 pm
We had some more rain and as expected the first of the Cobblers Pegs are out and flowering.
As far as the bees are concerned this is a very important plant.
Most of the trees, take Euc's , produce pollen and nectar during the night and if we have rain all the bounty is washed out. Not so with Cobblers pegs - if the sun is out for 10 minutes the bees will work them.
Most people hate this weed as it produces seeds which attach to clothing - a nuisance for sure.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 28, 2020, 02:43:53 am
28.1.2020 - The Grumichamas are out in full bloom
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: mat1 on January 28, 2020, 06:25:29 am
Saw the moch orange hedges a starting at home today. The bees are working it pretty well.

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Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 01, 2020, 09:00:09 pm
We are setting up a new beeyard - we have spent the morning making up the stands. Just opposite to our yard is a Southern facing hill with load of Blood wood flowering - Lovely to see.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 06, 2020, 06:23:32 am
Mallotus philippensis  - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mallotus_philippensis
We had this small tree flowering in our yard and it was covered in bees. A friend was able to identify what it is.
Amazing to see the bees all over it. Mind you, not for long.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 15, 2020, 04:38:37 pm
We had a stall at the Witta market yesterday.
After a week plus of rain - some quite heavy - a sunny day was most welcome.
As always our stall ( selling honey) attracts a lot of beekeepers.

A lot commented how " everything seems to flower" . Definitely - the rain did encourage many trees to flower. It will take a few weeks and some honey will come in as well.
here is hoping!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bamboo on February 17, 2020, 04:05:31 am
We have a bit of a flow on here, can smell it as soon as you get close to the apiary.
I do the Yandina markets and just love the people that come up and tell you how they just bought a kilo somewhere else!....what gives with that?

We had a few showers last Wednesday 100mm in 1 hour and 220mm in 15hrs!!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Beelab on February 21, 2020, 04:09:45 am
Just found a few bloodwood flowering fully. Now I know how the bees managed to create that lovely aroma wafting across the land. Didn?t get that much of it this season.
My hives are stationary and had to resort feeding a couple of splits. We mostly rely on native blooms.
For me, this has been the worst year in terms of honey harvest. But the colonies mostly kept their own.
Just glad for that lovely bloodwood now. The bees are happy.
Had about 40kg of honey so far, 2 tons last year.
But I leave what they gather now to them anyway.
Wonder if the delayed big rains entice some gums to flower out of season?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: mat1 on February 28, 2020, 05:00:30 am
Just saw some paperbark start flowering. Do the bees get much nectar from the wattle? Does anyone know. As they are in full flower now.

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Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 11, 2020, 05:27:20 am
YES, teatree is flowering on the Sunshine coast. A few people have e-mailed me and told that they can smell honey coming in
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 15, 2020, 03:08:09 am
We took some honey off today - not much, making sure we are leaving the bees enough for the next few months.
The Angophora are flowering again. Not like the last time but still flowering at the " wrong " time of the year.
Not many SHB in the hives.

A dark honey, quite pleasant
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: lind on April 13, 2020, 01:14:52 am
I have been off this forum for a few weeks.
I had to change computers and this one does not remember the password - max 2 has become lind:)
Same person!

I will up-date  few things as soon as time allows - we are harvesting Pecan Nuts at the moment and we are flat out.
m
PS I was in Cambodia for a number of weeks and just made it back before I had to isolate
Keep well - all of you.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: lind on April 18, 2020, 06:41:50 pm
We are in the middle of our Pecan Nut harvest. It does keep us busy most of the days with getting rid of leaves, harvesting, cleaning and sorting and bagging and drying . Selling will be a challenge as the markets are all closed. We need to find other outlets.
Friday was pretty well perfect with a nice warm morning and full sun and I took the opportunity to have a look at some of our hives.
There is not much capped honey around but enough honey to keep the bees busy and well feed.
Bee population is good and there is plenty of healthy brood too. A good opportunity to do a health check .

I purchased a new book " The honey and pollen  Flora of South east Australia" - https://www.tocal.nsw.edu.au/publications/bees/Honey-and-pollen-flora-of-south-eastern-Australia
An amazing book with a huge collection of plants which are useful to bees and other pollinators. Expensive but worth the money.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Ben Framed on April 19, 2020, 01:05:45 am
I have been off this forum for a few weeks.
I had to change computers and this one does not remember the password - max 2 has become lind:)
Same person!

I will up-date  few things as soon as time allows - we are harvesting Pecan Nuts at the moment and we are flat out.
m
PS I was in Cambodia for a number of weeks and just made it back before I had to isolate
Keep well - all of you.

Maybe the moderator will help you retrieve your old password?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: BeeMaster2 on April 19, 2020, 08:28:56 am
PM sent.
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 19, 2020, 06:17:38 pm
Thanks, Jim.
I think it worked.
I'm hopeless with computer stuff

thanks

max
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: BeeMaster2 on April 19, 2020, 09:32:19 pm
No problem.
This was the first time that I have ever tried this. 😁
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 20, 2020, 01:11:06 am
You did well!
The problem was that I changed my computer ( the old one died:()
The new one has a new e-mail address and when I tried to give it a new password  it would send it to the old computer with the registered e-mail ...which is gone.
All sorted and thanks
max
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Ben Framed on April 20, 2020, 01:25:27 am
Max I am glad to see that you have things worked out with your old name. I do not post here regularly as I leave it to you cousins from down under, but I do enjoy reading y'alls post here. I don't know if I could have gotten used to your new name.  lol.

Phillip Hall
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: felmo1 on April 20, 2020, 06:09:59 pm
It's great to see you back max2 and to shed off your alter ego lind.
How was your trip to Cambodia? 
And was your return complicated with the virus restrictions?

Our bees on the eastern side of the range are holding their own.  Strong hives are slowly increasing their honey stores while others are consuming their stored honey.
Nice autumn weather but not much flowering at the moment.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 20, 2020, 07:07:12 pm
Max I am glad to see that you have things worked out with your old name. I do not post here regularly as I leave it to you cousins from down under, but I do enjoy reading y'alls post here. I don't know if I could have gotten used to your new name.  lol.

Phillip Hall

Yes, I'm glad I got my name back too!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 20, 2020, 07:11:40 pm
It's great to see you back max2 and to shed off your alter ego lind.
How was your trip to Cambodia? 
And was your return complicated with the virus restrictions?

Our bees on the eastern side of the range are holding their own.  Strong hives are slowly increasing their honey stores while others are consuming their stored honey.
Nice autumn weather but not much flowering at the moment.
felmo - the trip to Cambodia was great. I take a small group to have a look at some of the projects I'm involved with.
This time all 7 were beekeepers and we visited a beekeeper in Cambodia. The situation he was in was very challenging - very dry and nothing to eat for the poor bees. I doubt that many of his hives would make it to the next flow.
The bees were very calm - you could open any hive without the risk of a sting. I think they were very weak.
Last year I visited beekeepers in Vietnam - there is always something interesting to learn.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 28, 2020, 06:45:23 pm
29.4.20 - Silverleaf Desmodium is flowering along roads here. The bees seem to like it. It will keep flowering for months as long as we don't get any frost.
People hate it as the seed pods are sticky. https://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/pastures/Html/Silverleaf_desmodium.htm
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 30, 2020, 06:38:05 pm
May 1 - the bees and Butterflies are working the Monkey Pod all day - very busy.
Looks like we missed the cold front. Rather mild here
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on May 07, 2020, 07:10:09 pm
8. May - We had some windy weather here and a few drops of rain..the parrots have broken off some small branches off the Blue Gum and to may surprise some of the buds have opened.
The Blue Gum generally starts flowering here around July.
No idea what is going on but this is far too early . The weather has been far too mild this Autumn and this may influenced the flowering.
Blue Gum's can flower for an extended period here and I keep hoping that they  will give the bees a great start for Spring - not now.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on May 12, 2020, 10:48:38 pm
We shifted 13 hives to a new site - easy distance to the Maleny NP.
I went to check on them this morning and they are busy as. Looks like something masybe flowering.
Good to see busy bees
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on May 19, 2020, 12:18:10 am
I went to visit a beekeeping friend west of Gympie and the bees are bringing in ligh yellow pollen - YES - Blue Gum.
It will be interesting to see how they perform this year.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on May 20, 2020, 12:39:44 am
It is BEE day today and this was posted on ABC News on Line:  https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2020-05-20/world-bee-day-bees-starving-drought-feeding-sugar-honey/12263374

It has been a tough year to date but we live in hope
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on May 27, 2020, 06:23:33 pm
I went to have a look at some hives in a yard 15 min away from home.

A very mixed result: some hives are very strong with plenty of honey. Some are OK - they will make it through winter. Some are poor looking and will need feding. One a dead-out with dead bees on the base. I think they run out of stores. No sign of any disease.
I'm very careful never to take too much honey. Never had to feed in over 40 years of keeping bees.
This has been a lousy season and I'm probably forced to feed.

How are people going in other parts of Qld?
I would guess that our urban friends with plenty of irrigated gardens are doing quite well
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on May 29, 2020, 08:31:28 am
Hi Max
It has been a different story up here.

Last year we had so much rain both through the wet as well as into winter (Bill was often posting on our wet conditions) . I did manage to get some honey through the spring flow but that was it.

This year was the opposite. The wet was minor and I have been taking honey off all year. I did some splits in Feb/March and all were successful.

All of my hives are strong with plenty of honey stores and nectar coming in.

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 05, 2020, 05:03:54 am
Hi Bee North,
good to hear somebody has been getting some honey.
I could smell a bit if Blue Gum.
Keeps me hoping.
Some rain predicted for next week too.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on June 07, 2020, 05:14:57 pm
Hi Max
Can you still get flows this time of the year "down" there?

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 11, 2020, 09:09:21 pm
Hi Bee North,
We can but it is not common.
Along the coast Ti Tees can flower multiple times and bees will build up. Many years ago I used to move bees into the swampy areas were these trees do well. We had issues with access and most of these trees are gone now and the area turned into canal estates.
We can get a long flowering of Blue Gum too - two years ago we did very well on them. They will flower for months and bees will get nectar and pollen.
Every few years we get a massive Clover flow - too early. It happens here in late winter.
It is looking quite good this year as we had some rain and more is appaerently on the way. We need follow-up rain in Luly too - Clover likes the moisture.

Right now I'm keeping an eye on the Blue Gum and hope while I'm feeding my bees for the first time in more than 40 years. I'm not the only one.

Anything flowering up your way?
Do you know what happened to Bill? He used to be a regular here and a very interesting beekeeper.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on June 12, 2020, 08:28:37 pm
Thanks Max very interesting.
I have only been doing this 4 years now and every year has been totally different....I cant see much of a pattern yet!
Drizzling here. The girls are bringing in a bit of nectar from various sources - holding their own.
No...I dont know what happened to Bill sadly. He was my go to for the tropics and put me on track....especially regarding  swarm prevention.
I just hope hes OK.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 16, 2020, 07:19:43 pm
Hi Bee North,
is there a way you can find out if Bill is OK?
We only know him as " Bill" and this makes finding him very challenging.


About what is flowering - talk to locals. Try to find names when you see trees flowering. Over the years you will build more and more knowledge. It makes keeing bees even more interesting and a little more predictable.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 21, 2020, 07:17:21 pm
Looks like a perfect week coming up: cool nights with mild days - low 20's C - it is mid-winter.
This should be perfect for the Blue Gum to give some nectar and pollen.

We had some light rain - enough to get the Clover growing. A few showers in July and we could be set for a great flow. We beekeepers are a hopeful lot.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on June 22, 2020, 06:33:24 am
Fingers Crossed for you Max!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 24, 2020, 04:10:44 am
I hear that Ironbark is out near Kenilworth - onlu 25 km from here.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 30, 2020, 10:30:05 pm
It is nice and very mild here at the moment and I took the opportunity to have a look at some hives.

A very mixed bunch:
- some are doing rather poorly but have some honey coming in
- some are bursting at the seems with honey and brood - frames of brood and they could be split if it was two months later and we could get queens:)
- too many SHB - they must know something. It has been too warm this winter so far. A few chilly mornings but generally quite warm


The Blue Gum and Ironbark are flowering here now.
Both generally flower for many months and this is a positive.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Milo on July 01, 2020, 10:38:58 am
Out of interest what is the species of Eucalyptus (tereticornis?) you call ?Blue Gum?

Just that there are so many referred to as Blue Gum along the eastern sea board and I?m interested
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 02, 2020, 01:54:57 pm
Hi Milo,

yes, it is E. tereticornis.

Common names can be confusing. The " Blue Gum" is locally also known as " Forest Red Gum".
I should use Botanical names more.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on July 05, 2020, 06:37:37 am

- some are bursting at the seems with honey and brood - frames of brood and they could be split if it was two months later and we could get queens:)
- too many SHB - they must know something. It has been too warm this winter so far. A few chilly mornings but generally quite warm



Yep...I agree Max.

My girls think its spring and no reduction in SHB! They are strong, and like you say I would be making some nucs but there are no drones yet. I'm itching to try grafting this spring.

I'm about to go to work for a month. I expect my hives will be bursting when I get back!

I took honey off all my hives this week to give them room. Even my hives which were nucs i made in March! ...lots of freshly capped white wax.

I dont think next season will be the same for me though.
A big wet season is being predicted as a high possibility, so that will bring my girls to a screaming halt...always good for our farmers though. Probably better for you guys down the coast a bit too.

The melaleuca are in full glory on the coast and up on the tablelands. Out of reach from my girls which may be a positive for me as my honey is coming in light and sweet.

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: mat1 on July 07, 2020, 09:02:39 am
So max if you had drones you would be thinking of splitting soon. I was in mine on sunday had plenty of drones and a good amount of drone brood too.

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Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on July 08, 2020, 01:14:14 am
Hi Max 1

Where are your hives?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: mat1 on July 08, 2020, 01:37:12 am
I'm about 50ks from max

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Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on July 08, 2020, 01:56:40 am
Well it sounds like your girls are happy...enjoy "spring"!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: mat1 on July 08, 2020, 02:58:49 am
Thank you my friend

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Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 11, 2020, 07:01:12 pm
The Paulownias are in full bud (https://worldofhoneybees.com/paulownia-tomentosa-princess-tree/)
They never disapoint and will flower here every year.
The bees love them. They will even work the flowers when they have fallen of the tree.

There are a few plantations in our area but they all failed as a timber production and have been  negelcted.

We had some rain - not much - in the last few days and it will keep things going.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 13, 2020, 01:37:18 pm
mat 1 said: " So max if you had drones you would be thinking of splitting soon. I was in mine on sunday had plenty of drones and a good amount of drone brood too."

No - I would want to see more trees flowering, better conditions for the queen to mate.

Here, late August into September is about as early as I could expect a successful split.

But then beekeeping is a very local adventure:)
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: mat1 on July 13, 2020, 05:49:07 pm
Thanks so much max. Have the best week.

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Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 20, 2020, 01:02:58 am
The weather forecast is for some useful rain over quite a large area.

We need it!

There is little subsoil moisture and a couple of inches would make a huge difference.
It has been much too warm here - some chill in the morning but today we went to the mid-20C again.
Not much like winter.

max
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 04, 2020, 04:42:37 am
Just back from NSW.
Travelling down the New England Hwy it was very dry still.
Coming back from the coast via Lismore and Kyogle into Qld it all looked much better.
Never seen so much Fireweed flowering. The bees will love it.
Across the border to about ESK the Blue Gum is flowering. Dry around Kilcoy but quite Ok towards the coast.
They say more rain on the way.
While Iwas away Witta had 75mm, Nambour 60mm and we had 30mm - could do with a lot more.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 09, 2020, 07:28:55 pm
I checked some hives and some honey is coming in - going by the smell I would say it is Blue Gum honey. I hear the same from a beekeepr up Gympie way.

The E toreliana are budding heavily and should be quite a show in a few weeks

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on August 10, 2020, 12:34:17 am
That's good news Max!
Its all happening up here too. I will be taking honey off to give them room later this week.
I've got drones and one hive was drawing queen cells...lucky I got it in time. I only got home a couple of days ago.
I lost a swarm a week from now last year so it looks like history  repeating
Time to make up nucs!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 14, 2020, 01:12:52 am
Hi Bee North,
you are well ahead of us.
I had a look at a few hives and definitely no drones and nil drone brood.

I will check a few more on Sunday - weather permitting and will report back.
What are SHB numbers like?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on August 14, 2020, 02:27:49 am
Still a lot of SHB!
Hives are very strong and building rapidly!
I grafted this week for the first time because I need to split now and i am happy to say they accepted 18 from 20....hopefully I get most of the cells finished.


Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 14, 2020, 04:04:04 am
Well done!!

Keep us posted
max
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on August 14, 2020, 07:47:49 am
Thanks Max....will do.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on August 17, 2020, 06:00:15 pm
Eucalyptus Grandis or Flooded Gum / Rose Gum is in full flower along the tops of the range and along the creeks on the tablelands. The girls are bringing it in its light and sweet.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 18, 2020, 07:15:31 pm
Hives are definitely building up - some honey, plenty of brood and far too many SHB. It never got cold enough to knock them for six.

Nice to see increased activity around the hives.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 18, 2020, 10:04:29 pm
19. August 2020 - The Wild Pear is flowering - last year the date was  the 10. August

Also - Budburst for the Liquid Amber - 2019: 25. Aug ....2018: 26. August

Both are signs of Spring!   :cheesy:
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: mat1 on August 19, 2020, 09:48:15 am
Have lots of drones and drone brood and dropped a frame into a queen starter on Sunday so will see if any take. Not a lot of shb that I've seen only a few girls are bringing in some very light honey too . Did see quite a few shb in the hives at imbil.

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Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on August 20, 2020, 12:53:30 am
Good Luck Mat.
I had beginners luck I think getting 90%. They finished all that were started and are now in nucs. Lets hope they get mated ok!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on August 20, 2020, 12:54:51 am
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: mat1 on August 20, 2020, 10:38:10 am
Nice. I am thinking of taking some from another queen she has really taken off this year she is a last year queen but she keeps filling the box wall to wall.

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Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Ben Framed on August 20, 2020, 10:48:12 am
I agree Mat, nice. Bee North you are too modest. You must have done your homework before, and done it very will I might add. Congratulations on your success.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on August 20, 2020, 08:30:07 pm
Thanks guys.

Thanks Ben I apreciate the kind words...yes you could say I did a lot of reading and watched a lot a youtube on grafting prior.

It's sooo fun!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: mat1 on August 21, 2020, 08:07:12 am
Look forward to your updates bee north.

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Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 21, 2020, 07:09:42 pm
Nice job Bee North and a lovely strong hive too in the background.
Wish I could say the same here...dry, dry here.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on August 21, 2020, 09:40:31 pm
Thanks Max...yes they are doing great.
Hopefully you guys get some rain soon!!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 21, 2020, 10:49:24 pm
It is dry and quite windy and no rain around for at least the next week.

You hive sure look busy.

Lucky you!

max
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 26, 2020, 06:37:29 pm
26. August - some of the Paulownias are in full bloom and the bees are all over them.
Some other Paulownia trees are still only in bud.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 02, 2020, 04:55:55 am
Lovely mild day - bees busy...so I had a look at some hives.
Plenty of nice brood, very few drones..too many SHB's.
It is a very slow start to the season but at least I can see some progress.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 07, 2020, 05:58:33 pm
Some showers her but not enough to make a difference.

The Peaches, Nectarines are out and the Mango's are about to open.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 11, 2020, 07:01:43 pm
12. September - the Jaboticabas are about to open ( last year 9. September) Always a show.
I have a Beekeeping workshop here today and had hoped the Jaboticabas would open today - not to be.
We had 13 mm of rain in the last 24 hrs and this will help the Clover.
I will check this PM to see if more flowers are out
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on September 14, 2020, 12:50:08 am
Cadaghi are starting to flower up here. They were a month earlier last year.



Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 16, 2020, 06:20:09 pm
17. September - The jaboticabas are just opening up this morning ( 9. September last year) - alwasy quite an event.

The cadagi's are still bud's only
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 18, 2020, 04:34:39 pm
530 AM and the bees are all over the Jaboticaba!
A slow growing small tree but well worth growing for the bees and the fruit.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 26, 2020, 11:13:31 pm
27. September-

A few trees are out:
- Deep Yellow  Wood ( last year14. September
- White Cedar  ( 2019 24. September)
- Pecan Bud burst - ( 2029   2. October)

Very dry and we had a fire in the valley.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 05, 2020, 08:30:51 pm
6.10.2020 - the Jaboticaba which flowered just a few weeks ago is in full bloom again. How do they do it? The bees are crazy on it  - again.
The White Cedar seems to be doing it's best too to put on a show.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 10, 2020, 05:03:58 pm
The sweet smell of Lomandra!
You can even smell it in the hives.
I made up a number of nuc's and finally I can find a good number of drones and drone brood in some of the hives.
Even some honey is coming in
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on October 12, 2020, 02:21:46 am
Sounds promising Max.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 19, 2020, 07:53:23 am
The Pecan's are flowering  and the bees are working overtime to get their share of pollen.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 22, 2020, 08:05:50 pm
The first flowers on the E .torreliana ( Cadaghi) are out.

There is rain ahead ( if we are lucky) and I hope the tree is holding off it's full display untill the rain has passed.
It is an amazing sound when the bees discover the tree in full bloom and our tree ( planted by somebody else about 40 years agao) is a large specimen.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 27, 2020, 05:10:34 pm
We had some much needed rain - just 25mm but a start.
The E.torrelians are just about in full bloom and I noticed that the Waterhousia floribunda are budding.
They grow along the river and are reliable givers.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 29, 2020, 06:05:27 pm
On the way to one of my yards I noticed a row of Blackberries flowering - you don't see them much in this part of the world
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 01, 2020, 06:51:30 am
We had some lovelt rain here of late. Not a lot but it did make a difference. Sadly, some people had strong wind and hail.

The Clover liked it - and the bees are working it again.
I hope it does not get  too hot too quickly.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 05, 2020, 04:44:01 pm
The Brazilian Cherries are about to open.
A long dry followed by some rain will guarantee a a great show

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 13, 2020, 09:30:49 pm
The Brush Box is flowering here. I will be going to Gympie in about a week and will get a better idea if they are producing.
Brush Box can be fantastic in an occasional year - flowering multiple times. The tree needs rain at the right time.
The honey has a tendency to crystalise quickly.
Mock Orange is out in full bloom. I have to check if the bees er working it.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 22, 2020, 11:48:31 pm
I was surprised to see some Weeping Lilypilly fowering ( waterhousia floribunda) and also lemon Myrtle. We have both here in the valley but not flowering.

here in the valley the Tipuana Tipu is in full bloom and so is the Abizzia sinenses ( spelling?)

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 22, 2020, 11:51:44 pm
Here it is:  https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/3991
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on November 26, 2020, 05:04:27 am
Had any rain Max?

I just got home , I've been away.

The golden oak is in flower all through the rainforest and the girls have golden yellow new wax. A bit of nectar comming in but not a lot of surplus.

Some good rain would help.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 28, 2020, 04:18:32 am
Hi Bee North.
No rain so far but we are a day closer.

I went to Gympie today to get some gear from my mate - he manages about 2500 hives.

He is still optimistic that we could get some Brushbox honey....if we get the rain.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 04, 2020, 01:04:41 am
Very hot here. Early start.
We took some honey off - tasts like Brush Box.
When is the rain coming?

m
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 06, 2020, 06:56:00 am
Extremly hot here but a cooler change is on the way.
Some Brushbox and Waterhousia is flowering in the valley...promising
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 11, 2020, 05:43:26 pm
I went to one of my yards on the other side of Conondale and noticed that the Angophora's are flowering. Also Known as "Apple"  these trees are quite unusual as they seem to produce MORE nectar during dry times.
In our area it seems to flower most years but the good book ( Honey and Pollen Flora of SE Australia) tells me that it is only a reliable producer every 4 to 5 years.
The honey has thixotrpic qualities - the nectart becoming a gel when matured into honey but I have not had an issue with this.
The honey is a little darker.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 14, 2020, 08:24:38 pm
We had 180mm of rain here in the last few days...and more on the way.
The best rain for a long while.

This is the type of rain the forests around here need to have a chance to kick back into something normal.

Some trees ( eg Bruch Box) will respond quickly and others will take a while .
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 25, 2020, 12:54:31 am
A good number of trees have started to flower in response to recent good rain: lepard Tree, Grumichama and Wattle.

The wattle ( I think Acacia melanoxilon) is producing useful pollen but no nectar.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 30, 2020, 08:51:01 pm
I was working under a very large A melanoxylon and the sounf of bees was amazing. All the bees working the pollen...YET...the good book says that the pollen is of poor quality.
I think the bees know better.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 02, 2021, 04:53:31 pm
Cherry Guavas are budding here.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 09, 2021, 09:37:41 pm
We had a few days of good, steady, not heavy follow-up rain. We have not seen this for a long time.
Everything is responding: The Jaboticaba's are budding and so is the lemone Myrtle. It had not floweed for a couple of years.
While I can't check this out right now, I would expect that forest trees - mostly Eucalypts, will also respond soon.
Here is hoping!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Beelab on January 10, 2021, 07:32:24 am
I?m still learning, but the winds have thrown down branches with Flowers, Sydney blue gum, and now I see flowers on what I think are blackbutts. ?
The bees know where to go in between showers. They go out fast and come in fast.
The supers are bursting in their seams, just can?t harvest in between showers.
Bet my roofs are full of comb.
What a difference to last year.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 12, 2021, 02:18:44 am
Yes, some lids will have some honey in them.
You can reduce this by having inner lids. I generally just leave it. The bees will have some xtra honey when winter comes and will clean it all up.
We took honey off today. Nice to have a flow on - not sure what they are bringing in - very sweet.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 18, 2021, 06:42:22 pm
We finished our harvest but the flow is still on.
The Lemon Myrtle is flowering for the first time in a good while. It had been too dry.
Had 63mmlast night in a storm - more to come.
Many of the Lilly Pilly's are also budding
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on January 20, 2021, 05:17:30 pm
Happy for you Max...good to hear your getting some honey!

Very wet up here!! We have had 425mm this month. I just got home after cyclone Kimi went past and we are in full wet season. My wife watched a swarm yesterday fly out in the rain , only to return. Hopefully I can get into my hives sooner rather than later. I know they have plenty of stores but the honey will be too wet to harvest...might be mead making again!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 24, 2021, 12:26:23 am
Hi Bee North,
I read about the rain up north. I hope you will get a break soon.
We had a few lovely days but it looks like we are getting more rain soon. We still need more as we had such a long dry period.
My hope is that the flowering will kick back to something normal.
It is too early to hope for Blue Gum and Clover to do well - far too early but we keep looking ahead.
Right now the Lilly Pilly's are doing well and the lemon Mytle has never looked as nice.
I made another bunch of nuc's and this will do for the season
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on January 28, 2021, 05:03:14 pm
Red bloodwood, Corymbia gummifera is in flower. The girls go well on it every year but the rain has them capping it at 19.2%.

I had to harvest and am drying it this year....can only make so much mead!

I also had a couple of frames of very light coloured honey. It tasted a little fruity and like toffee. Any ideas. That's the only discription I have. It was from a new apiary I have set up. I dont have need to ever feed so it's not sugar.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 30, 2021, 04:59:40 pm
No idea what the honey could be. Always interesting.

19.2% should still be OK to store. Make sure you bottle it as soon as possible.
Storing the honey in a container with a large surface area will make the issue worse.

We are getting more light rain.

Often I see the bees are still flying.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on January 30, 2021, 05:25:19 pm
Hi Max...a bit of research and there used to be a huge tropical fruit farm within range. They introduced many exotic fruits to North Qld in the 70s from around the world. They now sell palms and other tropical plants wholesale only...who knows what the girls have found. The original property was 160 acres, much of it let go I believe. I might visit the property and check it out if they let me.

I have managed to dry it down to 18.1 so all good!

A bit of sunshine here and back to work for me.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 04, 2021, 01:24:48 am
I remember visiting a fruit farm in that area many, many years ago. In those days all these fruits where rather new to us.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 06, 2021, 04:47:50 pm
This is the time of the year I would like to see buds on the Blue Gum. These are tall trees and I generally depend on some fallen brnches as indicators. No luck so far.

If the Blue Gum buds now there is a good chance for some flowering in late winter - perfect for a good Spring start

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 16, 2021, 09:17:59 pm
We just finished taking more honey off.
The late season has been quite good.
I have large areas of forest across the valley but I can't see what is flowering? Have to do some checking when time permits.
By February I generally expect quite dark honey but this year it is more of a medium.
Maybe one more harvest  early Austumn/ :happy/fall? :happy:
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 22, 2021, 11:49:28 pm
GoldenRaintree - Koelreuteria paniculata - is considered a weed in my part of the world but is quite plentyfull - indeed it is a street tree in our street.
The bees love it!
This time of the year - changing from Summer to Autumn andy nectar and pollen is welcome.
Not a tree I would plant ( but it is a stunning dispaly for a long time) as a beekeeper i would not cut them down either.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 04, 2021, 11:57:10 pm
The Golden Rain Trees are in full bloom and on this lovely warm day the bees are working it.
I checked a number of hives - part of my Autumn check - and the hives are still in full production here.
I have to check on another yard to see how they are going.
There is another, small tree flowering but I have to find out what it is. It does look weedy
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 12, 2021, 11:53:31 pm
At one of my yards no nectar seems to be coming in at the moment.
In my home yard the Cassia ( Senna) is flowering but the bees don't seem to work it at all.
The wild pepper ( an introduced spp) is budding - plenty of these around.
The Cobblers pegs keep giving...
Never underestimate common weeds!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 13, 2021, 12:03:38 am
I think this is the pepper Tree!
https://weeds.brisbane.qld.gov.au/weeds/broadleaved-pepper

Othere references ( Google Brazilian Pper - honey) will tell you that the honey is much valued.
As soon as the flowers open I will have a good look and see if my bees are working it.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 19, 2021, 01:44:51 am
I have been spending my time in the garden planting for winter.
I found a small branch from a Blue Gum WITH some small buds!
Were there are small buds there is big hope!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 28, 2021, 06:48:38 pm
Slim picking for bees!
Autumn is here and the sun is out again after much needed rain.
I can smell the honey late in the afternoon but all I can see flowering are weeds!!
The Coblers pegs ( Bidens spinosa) is in some areas about 21/2 m high. Lots of flowers and the bees are making the best of it
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 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.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 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.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 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.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Beelab 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.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on May 06, 2021, 02:52:01 am
Allways nice to see flowering gums!!
I hope the girls are bringing it home.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Beelab 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?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North 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!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 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.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on May 24, 2021, 08:04:54 pm
All sounds positive Max...just more rain up here!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 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.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North 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!

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 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?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 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...
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Ben Framed on June 28, 2021, 04:50:38 am
Quote
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? 
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 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!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Ben Framed 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. 
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 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.

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 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/
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Ben Framed on June 29, 2021, 11:47:39 pm
Quote
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:
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 05, 2021, 04:55:25 am
The solution is : Don't  panic...DON'T PANIC
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Ben Framed on July 05, 2021, 06:54:49 pm
The solution is : Don't  panic...DON'T PANIC

How can you panic when you are dead with a heart attack?  :shocked: :cheesy: :wink: j/k....
Max are there a lot of these type bites in your country each year?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 05, 2021, 09:40:02 pm
3000 to 5000.
About 2000 Spider

https://www.bing.com/search?q=how%20many%20snake%20bites%20in%20australia%20per%20year&pc=COSP&ptag=A102D3A05EB&form=CONBNT

Plan to visit?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Ben Framed on July 05, 2021, 10:09:51 pm
3000 to 5000.
About 2000 Spider

https://www.bing.com/search?q=how%20many%20snake%20bites%20in%20australia%20per%20year&pc=COSP&ptag=A102D3A05EB&form=CONBNT

Plan to visit?

Yes I would like that. Actually I have always been interested in visiting your country.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 06, 2021, 04:58:23 am
Australia is a lovely place. Generally friendly people, lots to see.

m
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 21, 2021, 10:20:52 pm
I went to the Gympie area ( about 30 min West of Gympie)

It is a lovely drive through the small town of Kenilworth and past Imbil and Kandanga.

The landscape changes from beef farms to Dairy Country to a small pocket of Rainforest and a lot of open forest ( mainly Eucalypt) country.

The Blue Gum ( E tereticorys) is just starting flower. The flowers are not open in my valley here - but close. Blue Gum ( also known as Forest Red Gum) is a fantastic bee tree as it often flowers for a long time and can yield well - nectar and pollen.

The Tallow wood is flowering too - a lovely thing to see. It is not of great value for nectar but a good pollen tree at a critical time.

Thanks to good rain over the last few months White Clover is starting to flower too. It does best in the wet areas near the road. A bit more rain and it will yield well.

All looking great.

Too ealy to make splits but I can see a very busy time as soon as we see some drones in our hives.
It will be a matter of making splits and taking honey off.

I got the gear just about ready.

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on July 22, 2021, 07:24:49 pm
That's exciting news Max.

Looks like a great start to your year. I'm happy for you.

I'm at work and wont be home for another two weeks.

There wasnt much happening when I left 2 weeks ago. But the sun is out at home and the sky is clear, so fingers crossed something is happening.

If last year is anything to go by....I might be grafting when I get home!

Yes....the gear is ready and waiting.

Happy days!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 22, 2021, 07:58:19 pm
It is a shame that work interferes with the real stuff! :wink:

Been there, done that.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on July 22, 2021, 08:38:59 pm
Tell me about it!!!!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 28, 2021, 12:38:11 pm
I checked a few hives yesterday and they are full of honey. No drones as yet - too early to split. few SHB - thank goodness.

Some hives are definitely honey bound .
I think we are in for an early swarm season.

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 01, 2021, 04:58:58 am
We are in lock down here.

We took some honey off as the temperature was in the high 20's ( C). We still have a month of winter ahead and I wonder what is going on?

It is thick stuff, not flowing easy and clogging up the screens.

The hives are full of honey and bees - definitely honey bound.
Very few SHB.

I got a few more warm days before the weather turns mild again - too cool to take honey off.

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 11, 2021, 09:17:02 pm
The white clover is flowering in a paddock across the river from us - promising!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 16, 2021, 01:18:30 am
16. 8.21  The Brazilian Cherries are flowering. It sounds like a swarm has landed when you walk past them
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on August 16, 2021, 05:12:14 pm
It's all happening down there Max!
A very slow start this year up here. Nothing in the rainforest.
Eucalyptus Grandis or "red gum" is flowering on the tablelands. Not enough to be a flow yet.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 17, 2021, 05:11:27 am
Hi Bee North,

I took more honey off today.
The smell of honey in the air is amazing.
Yes, it is all happening down here.

On the way to one of my yards the Paulownias are flowering. Maybe just a touch to far away for my bees.

I have seen some drones - just a few - but more drone brood.


I still need to add some supers on to some of my hives to make some room for queens to lay.

Most of the hives should be OK if they do what they usually do - shift  honey from the brood box into the honey super.

I would not be surprised if we take more honey off in a few weeks.
keep well
max
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on August 17, 2021, 05:44:25 am
Good to hear Max.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 30, 2021, 08:16:42 am
26. August -Budburst on the Liquid Amber - about the same as last year
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 31, 2021, 12:31:49 am
We had a Beekeeping Workshop here last Saturday and opened a few hives.

We saw enoough drones for me to take the risk and make the first 3 splits today.
I will check in a few days to see if they are making queens - I reckon the bees know better than i do when the time is right. Swarming gives me the green light to go ahead.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Ben Framed on August 31, 2021, 01:37:11 am
Good luck Max..
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 31, 2021, 03:54:12 am
Thanks!
It seems a bit early for splits but I think it is worth the risk.

This year I plan to make a few every few days when the weather is suitable.
I have Bursitis in my left shoulder and have to spread the work to avoid constant soreness.

To lift 10 frame supers I will need a helper. Itried last year and taking them off with some honey was still possible but putting them back was a real challenge.
Looks like the years are catching up with me.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Ben Framed on August 31, 2021, 04:08:53 am
Max have you checked out the topic here Hive Lifts? You might find it useful.

Phillip

Thanks!
It seems a bit early for splits but I think it is worth the risk.

This year I plan to make a few every few days when the weather is suitable.
I have Bursitis in my left shoulder and have to spread the work to avoid constant soreness.

To lift 10 frame supers I will need a helper. Itried last year and taking them off with some honey was still possible but putting them back was a real challenge.
Looks like the years are catching up with me.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 05, 2021, 06:45:53 am
I have to check the Hive Lifts section - thanks
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 10, 2021, 04:51:02 am
10. September 2021 - the Deep Yellow Wood is flowering right next to some of my nuc's and the bees are working them like crazy.
Interesting that the Deep Yellow Wood seems to do better in dry conditions.
The White Clover is also doing very well but that plant could do with a drink.

I mad a quite a few splits this week ( more to go)  and have seen very few SHB.
I spoke to another beekeeper today and he had also noticed.
Nobody is complaining :smile:
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on September 10, 2021, 11:48:58 pm
All positive Max.
Went for a drive out West yesterday and the avocado pollination has started. Bumper crops by the looks of things.

I have managed to secure a new site on a certified organic farm, he has 1200 lime trees and various other citrus as well. Its surrounded by avocado farms too, so the honey wont be organic unfortunately.
He said his trees flower all year round so it should be a productive site.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 11, 2021, 04:17:10 am
Sounds great!
How far from home?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on September 11, 2021, 04:45:23 am
About an hours drive West 80km. A nice drive though.

I have another lime farmer who wants some hives as well
 He is on the Barron River in Mareeba and has 500 trees, so I will get the Eucalyptus along the river as well. He is half way to the new site about 30min away.

The two new sites will be enough for me and both being in the same direction shouldn't be too hard to manage.

I've heard lime honey is high quality. I havnt tried it before.

I expect to have the hives out there before winter which is when the citrus flower best.

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 11, 2021, 10:33:08 pm
I try to keep my yard as close as possible.
All mine are less then 15 km from home.
I tend to forget things and even a 15 min drive and back seems a lot.
Your new location does sounfd like worth the drive.
You say " lime" - is the Lime Fruit or Kaffir Lime ( for the leaves)?
We grow about 80 Kaffir Limes here and they do flower most of the year

I have made 24 splits this week. I could not get queens so they have to make their own. A bit of a risk but queens are not easy to get this year.
I notice the Pecan's are close to budburst and some of my nuc's are across the road from a small orchard.
Lots of plants are flowering but the rain is simply missing us
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on September 11, 2021, 11:10:31 pm
Hi Max,

Lime fruit trees.

I actually wanted to find some locations to the West of the range and away from the rainforest. A different environment altogether. Yes, an hour is a bit of a stretch but if I call it half an hour from my second yard it doesn't sound so bad! I can always move them somewhere closer is it doesnt pay off.


Tell me about the rain Max!! That's why I'm going West. No honey, no splits, few drones and just more showers here atm.

I hope your nucs do ok mate.



Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 12, 2021, 04:29:13 am
Lime fruit trees.

!!OK - I have been working in my orchard this afternoon and our Kaffir Limes are also flowering and the smell is fantastic. You should do very well with Limes.
Also noticed that the firat PECANS HAVE BUDDED!!
Very early  and it was warm today too.

I actually wanted to find some locations to the West of the range and away from the rainforest. A different environment altogether. Yes, an hour is a bit of a stretch but if I call it half an hour from my second yard it doesn't sound so bad! I can always move them somewhere closer is it doesnt pay off.

!!Yes, 1/2 and hour does sounf better :grin:


Tell me about the rain Max!! That's why I'm going West. No honey, no splits, few drones and just more showers here atm.

!!Send them this way!


I hope your nucs do ok mate.

!!Yes, without queens there is a risk. We shall see.

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Beelab on September 15, 2021, 05:16:30 am
I heard it mentioned several times that bees foraging on citrus get a bit more testy.
We just have a few citrus trees, so I can?t tell.
Could you let us know how your bees are behaving on all that citrus @BeeNorth?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on September 15, 2021, 07:44:43 pm
Hi Beelab.

Sure...once I get some bees out there.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 20, 2021, 05:22:53 am
We took more honey off today.

Some hives are pretty full while some are disappointing and I wonder if the swarmed?

It has been very dry and we have a dry and windy day ahead.
The Bottlebrush, the clover, gums...everything is flowering but i wonder if there is much in it?

We need rain.
It has been a long time since we had winter rain which brings the Clover along and then Spring rain which keeps the Clover going and producing.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on September 21, 2021, 06:42:08 am
Hmm...interesting Max.
We have had sunshine since I last posted and the rainforest is coming alive finally.
I took a bit of honey off last week, not a lot but its starting to happen.
I fly out tomorrow for a month. I'm not sure what's going to happen when I'm away.
I'm hoping I dont lose to many swarms while I'm gone, I just didnt have the bees or the drones to make nucs this Month. The girls are only coming strong now.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 24, 2021, 07:43:48 am
24. 09. 2021  - the Silky Oak is out.
It generally offers some nectar.

We have some very large trees near the house and there are a good number along the Mary
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 27, 2021, 01:55:57 pm
We had another beeworkshop here last Saturday.
As always I open a few hives for the participants.
The interesting point this time was that I could not find a SHB!
Not complaining at all.

We had some rain here yesterday - just 1/2 inch but it may bring the SHB back - it has been very dry.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 07, 2021, 05:22:58 pm
I went to see my mate at Galsshouse.
He had a great harvest off Macadamia. No such luck here.

The Jacaranda and Silky Oaks are flowering profusely

m
Title: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: TheHoneyPump on October 08, 2021, 06:16:14 pm
Why is this thread 620ish long?  Are all varied discussions jammed under this one thread?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Ben Framed on October 08, 2021, 08:18:49 pm
Why is this thread 620ish long?  Are all varied discussions jammed under this one thread?

I can not speak for our good friends from the Land Down Under but I suspect that it is an Aussie thing that they themselves understand. I mean this in a respectful and good way. These folks have a certain unwritten way of doing things that sets them apart from the rest of the English speaking world. Let them at it, as we enjoy their good company is my motto.

They can very well speak for themselves and I might have missed it by a mile!!? lol All with good intentions Mr HoneyPump. No disrespect meant for you or them. As our friends from 'there' might say? Good Day Mate...!!! 
:grin:

Phillip
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 10, 2021, 04:25:07 am
Why is the thread so long?

It was always meant to never end.
I note what is flowering in my neck of the woods and it does give me a record when various plants are flowerring. It is very useful.
I give you an example:

Today 10.10. 21 - The pecan's are just starting to flower.
I move my nuc's close to a Pecan Orchard as they seem to do well there this time of the year...they also work the Blue Gum and other plants.

Another:

The Liquid Amber is an indicator plant for me. When they start to flower it says " Spring"  and I start to look out for drones...because i need drones to make queens ...to make nuc's.

I put out an occasional Bee Newsletter out when I have the time. I know that other people keep an eye on the thread to see what is flowering.

In my case I know that if a tree is flowering closer to the coast that it will flower here 10 to 14 days later.

I also have a thread on " Swarming"  - my swarming season starts about 14 days after the coastel event.

Does this make sense?

If the thread takes up too much space, my apology - I can stop writing.

keep well

max
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Ben Framed on October 10, 2021, 07:54:00 am
Why is the thread so long?

It was always meant to never end.
I note what is flowering in my neck of the woods and it does give me a record when various plants are flowerring. It is very useful.
I give you an example:

Today 10.10. 21 - The pecan's are just starting to flower.
I move my nuc's close to a Pecan Orchard as they seem to do well there this time of the year...they also work the Blue Gum and other plants.

Another:

The Liquid Amber is an indicator plant for me. When they start to flower it says " Spring"  and I start to look out for drones...because i need drones to make queens ...to make nuc's.

I put out an occasional Bee Newsletter out when I have the time. I know that other people keep an eye on the thread to see what is flowering.

In my case I know that if a tree is flowering closer to the coast that it will flower here 10 to 14 days later.

I also have a thread on " Swarming"  - my swarming season starts about 14 days after the coastel event.

Does this make sense?

If the thread takes up too much space, my apology - I can stop writing.

keep well

max

Max; You have always kept this topic 'centrally located', true to the namesake of its title, "What's flowering Queensland". You have never broken a rule, you have never posted a cuss word, never insulted a fellow member, you have always been polite, kind, respectful, and reasonable, to all members who have posted on this thread, 'your thread that you started'. It is, and has been my pleasure to read your comments. You are welcome and encouraged to post 'whatever you want to post' including bees, flowering plants, or whatever you wish, without question, within the bylaws.

As a member in good standing here Max, I think it is a good time to reiterate not only to you but your fellow countrymen, this is just as much 'your home' as it is any other members. You, along with your fellow countrymen are free, and should always feel free and welcome, to post of your of unique beekeeping experiences without question, comfortably in any way you see fit, as long as it's within the rules. This Max, you have always done. Keep up the good work....   



Adding on a side note: You folks in Australia have an unique country, so many different plants, animals, terrain etc that are not found in other parts of the world which are unique to your own continent. A place where you and your fellow countrymen have adapted and prospered. I for one do not post here often under the heading, "Down Under Beekeeping", yet I enjoy reading post from every thread here. From Melbourne to Perth. Keep up the good work and conversation.....

Phillip   
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 11, 2021, 12:29:33 am
Thanks, Philip, for your kind and reassuring words.

I'm retired form ( Mechanical and Civil Engineering Design and running our own business for about 40 years)

I have always been interested in bees. Growing up in Switzerland  beekeeping as a hobby was out of reach for a pretty poor family.

A few years after migrating to Australia I was introduced to bees by a near neighbour. That is 46 years ago.

These days bees take up a big part of my time ( other then family, gardening and cattle - and fishing form time to time.)

I live in a rather ideal area for all year  beekeeping ( Google "Crystal Waters, Conondale") - if the weather is too cool or too wet there is plenty to do in the beehouse.

Keep well

max
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Ben Framed on October 11, 2021, 12:48:31 am
Thanks, Philip, for your kind and reassuring words.

I'm retired form ( Mechanical and Civil Engineering Design and running our own business for about 40 years)

I have always been interested in bees. Growing up in Switzerland  beekeeping as a hobby was out of reach for a pretty poor family.

A few years after migrating to Australia I was introduced to bees by a near neighbour. That is 46 years ago.

These days bees take up a big part of my time ( other then family, gardening and cattle - and fishing form time to time.)

I live in a rather ideal area for all year  beekeeping ( Google "Crystal Waters, Conondale") - if the weather is too cool or too wet there is plenty to do in the beehouse.

Keep well

max

Thanks you Max....   :happy:
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 11, 2021, 07:59:20 pm
12.October 2021 - the Jaboticabas are out in full glory. last year they flowered on the 6. October.
We had 37mm of rain overnight - about 11/2 inches - the best for a long while.

It is just misty type of rain now and the bees are still working the flowers.

I sold the first nuc for the season - a busy time for a couple of months.
I stop making  splits before Christmas  as the SHB numbers tend to increase around that time.
I hardly saw any SHB a couple of weeks ago but with the rain the beetles also are getting active
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on October 13, 2021, 06:47:32 pm
Sounds positive Max.
Thanks for keeping us up to date and keeping this (your) thread alive!
Cheers
Adam.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 21, 2021, 03:54:40 am
I checked on quite a few nuc's today.
They are generally doing very well. Two of them appear not to have made a queen - I will get a queen for them or give them another brood frame with eggs. Most of the time they will catch up.

There is honey in the hives. The Blue Gum is powering on and so is the Clover. It is a rare occassion when the two combine in the same year and I better make the best of it while the going is good.

We are getting good rain too - mostly in the afternoon or evening when the bees had their fill.
Other areas - not far from here had some bad hail. Not what we want.

The Pecan's are nearly finished flowering . All looking positive at this point but....you never know what the next days bring
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 21, 2021, 09:11:33 pm
22. 10.21 - just back from one of my yards...adding supers.

The Euc torreliana is flowering - not like last year but the bees love it.
Also along the road are a lot of BlackBerries. They are seen as a weed here and they are a mass of flowers. Lucky for us ( and our bees) the local governmnet would rarely drive up this narrow dirt road and are not aware of the plants.Otherwise I assume they would spray them.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 28, 2021, 10:01:23 am
28. 10. 21 - the Lily Pillies are flowering.

I took honey off the Cooks  yard - a lot of clover in this lot - very floral and magnificant.

"Everything"  seems to be flowering. We had excellent conditions. After 3 months of very little rain we had good, steady rain here. No hail, no bad storms.
More rain is on the way and the issue is finding a gap in the weather to take honey off.
You can follow the weather by Googling "maleny 4552, Queensland" the closest stations to us.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 04, 2021, 02:00:49 pm
There is a Leptospermum flowering around the River - no idea about the details. The honey from these tress is generally dark - closely related to " Manuka" honey. Medicinal qualities but I would need to have it tested.

We have been extremly busy taking honey off and yesterday I made 12 nuc's - all with Joe Horner genetics - most from amazingly strong hives.

Pretty well everything is flowering here. Some of the best conditions I have seen for many years.
There is more rain predicted for next week  and I wonder if this will be enough to kick the Brushbox along?

On many of my hives I use to make splits from I keep just a 1/2 super. I extracted the honey on the 28. October and some had been filled by yesterday.

On the other hand I find it difficult to source Hoop Pine ( the preferred timber for supers and frames here) and wax foundation. I hear that a lot of our wax is sold to the USA for cosmetic purposes?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 11, 2021, 05:51:40 pm
We had 80mm of rain in the last 24hrs( just over 3inches) and about and inch twice in previous days.
The sun should be out tomorrow and for a few days.

It is the best rain we had for a long time and it will give the forests around here the soak they need.

In the short term it will keep the Clover going and with some luck the Brushbox will kick in.
In the longer term it should just about keep us going till winter.

I hear the Grey Gum and Tallowwodd are flowering on the range.

I have bees in a yard which would access this area.

Looking positive at this stage.
Further out west the Paroo River is in flood and migratory beeks will have their hearts beating faster!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on November 13, 2021, 03:45:47 pm
Sounds like a bumper year for you Max!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 17, 2021, 03:50:14 am
I had some cancelation for nuc's.
Is it permitted to advertise gear on this forum?

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Ben Framed on November 17, 2021, 07:45:03 am
MaxCheck out the Trading Post Section. Other members have posted of similar scenarios there. For example:

Quote
Offline Quernon
Brood
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 1
View Profile  Email  Personal Message (Offline)

Buckfast Nuc For Sale, Manchester, UK
? on: May 22, 2018, 01:17:05 pm ?
QuoteModifyRemove
I have an overwintered Nuc for sale. I kept it from a split last year in case one of my hives didn't survive the winter. They've all made it through so I'm looking to sell it on.

It's a Payne's type poly nuc with a built in feeder. I've taped the feeder off to stop the bees getting in there and building burr comb but it can easily be opened up again if they need feeding. Treated with Apivar in Autumn last year.

The Queen is the daughter of a Buckfast queen bought from the Beeman. They've always seemed very calm on the comb and have been good foragers for me.

Please PM me if you're interested. I'm looking for around GBP120.

Phillip
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 17, 2021, 11:13:43 pm
Thanks - I will have a look
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 23, 2021, 04:45:28 pm
The Tipuanas and Mexican Tree ferns ( not a fern at all) are flowering.
So are the tallow wood, Grey Gum...

We had not much sun here of late - plenty of rain and more on the way.
I have a workshop organised for this Saturday but it looks like I have to cancel.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 04, 2021, 06:39:39 am
We had a spell from the rain and had a chance to take some honey off.

The SHB 's also are picking up and I had a slime out. They can happen so quickly. Why are they often taking down the strongest hive?

Some of the trees are coming to an end of the flowering period.
The Waterhousia is easing off and I would expect that the Grey Gum too is coming to the end of the season.

Further afield ...the Paroo Rover is in flood and so are some of the tributries to the Murrey system - it will be good in a few years for the migratoey beekeepers.
I hear from Kingaroy that the Iron bark is budding.
Fun to be had if you don't mind travelling
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 13, 2021, 01:17:36 am
The Angophoras are about to come out - budding heavily.https://ne-np.facebook.com/TheCrankyBeeHoney/videos/the-angophora-costata-is-flowering-and-the-bees-are-mostly-just-collecting-polle/684979419113899/

I always belived that the bees will get nectar of these trees - I have to do some more research.

We have been taking a lot of honey off while the sun has been out.

I think I will give COMB HONEY a go while we have such a good flow on.
I think I handle the production of it but the packaging is not so simple. Some suggestions seem complicated and expensive

A hear that all of Queensland is out of draught. This would be the first time for many years.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 20, 2021, 07:10:42 am
We took more honey off today - a very hot day and I was done by late afternoon. Not as young as i used to be.

Taking honey off 13 hives I don't think I saw more then a handfull of SHB. Not sure what the reason is but not complaining.
I saw a large , black beetle and should have had a better look but instict is to sqush them. Maybe just and over-sized SHB?

I'm trying my hand at some comb honey. I have to find a system which works into my routine. We will learn. good to do something new.
The nuc's are moving fast - Christmas time and the people are geting FLOW hives.
A bit of eductaion required.
One fellow wanted to pick up the nuc at 11 AM - not a good idea. They will learns and I'm more than willing to give them and intro.

The Jo Horner genetics are a winner.

There is definitely a difference bettween a good hive and an amazing one.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 29, 2021, 04:08:01 am
Well, we took more honey off. The weather is very iffy - looks like rain...a bit of sunshine...you never know. Just a very light drizzle  which did not stop me.

The hives I'm taking honey off have a FD brood box, a Queen Excluder and a 1/2 deep box.

These are hives I use to make splits form.

I can lift a 1/2 supper even if full of honey.
I can't do this with  FD super anymore. Age, Bursitis, bad back...lack of muscles.


I took honey off 3 weeks ago and they where full of honey, all capped.

I'm at a loss as to what is flowering?

The Lemonscented teatree is flowering but this honey is form some Eucalypt flow.

I have to talk to saome mates, check on some books... I can see flowering trees in the distance.

I would like to take more honey off but the rain is again on the way.

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 08, 2022, 05:25:01 pm
It has been raining here -I mean RAINING!!

We received about 150mm but places just 11/2 hrs north from here had 650mm! This is 26inches! In 24hrs

The bees are flying this morning.

The Lemon Myrtle is out in it's full glory.

Lemon Myrtle is not very common but for reasons I can't explain the flowers seem to hive the honey of the season a touch of lemon flavour.

We are in peak summer and this is also peak wet season.

We have not had a good wet for far too long.

Eucalyptus trees, were most of out lovely comes from, need a good, deep soak to bud and then flower.

Old timers will tell you that the benefot of good rain are felt 6 months later.

There is more rain on the way. We are just having a short respite. Definitely a good soak this year.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 16, 2022, 09:30:02 pm
Something is flowering in the hills here - there is still a flow on and we are taking honey off.

Up on the range I'm told the beebusiness is slow - nothing coming in. They had a lot of Privet but Privet honey is far from delicious. It has a bitter taste and I wonder how keeprs deal with it.

I'm pretty well stocked.
Covid 19 and the implications have resulted in slow deliveries of everything form Jars to labels - patients and stay safe.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 05, 2022, 09:40:08 pm
Lots of days with regular shower - a challenge to get any beework done.

As soon as the sun is out for even a short time, the bees are busy.

We have a weed here over many, many acres - I'm talking hundreds if not more - which is know as " Cobblers Pegs" or " farmer's friend " as it sticks you you.

Bees love it for the nectar and the pollen.

Unlike our Eucalypts which produce most of the pollen and nectar at night, "Cobblers pegs" are out and producing in no time.
They produce a lovely honey too.

This is the time for the Bloodwoods to flower.

I quite like the honey we get from them but it is not without risk as the honey can have a high moisture content and can fernment easily.

It produces a lovely lloking, deep red coloured honey.

I hear that beekeepers on the range are not getting any honey right now.

Our valley location seems to have always something flowering, even if there is no surplus we rarely have to feed our bees.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on February 08, 2022, 08:05:29 pm
The bloodwood has been in flower up here for a few weeks now.

Yes... lots of rain making management hard.

Managed to get out the other day to find a few hives had swarmed, some we planning too and there was one in a tree which fortunately I managed to get!

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Lesgold on February 08, 2022, 08:11:08 pm
Do the bees generally swarm that late up north? Our bloodwoods are just showing signs of flowering.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on February 08, 2022, 10:13:46 pm
Hi Les

Yes mate that's "normal" for up here.

They dont start slowing down until after March.

The wet season provides ideal conditions for bee raising as there is always plenty of pollen from various sources and nectar coming in. It's hard to take honey off as the weather prevents inspections and capping off honey takes time due to high moisture content. It's still very warm and we dont really have a winter. Throw into the mix periods of heavy rain which causes overcrowding/overheating and this seems to trigger them. As soon as the weather clears off they go, usually the same day you can conduct your inspections!

The bees that are swarming at the moment I took nucs from 8 weeks ago!

We dont have a swarm season up here only a swarming break! Keeps me busy most of the year.

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Lesgold on February 08, 2022, 11:44:02 pm
This year you may have sent some of your wet weather down to us. I haven?t been able to get into the bees for about 3 weeks due to wind and rain. Today was the first chance I?ve had. Looks like I?m in for more work. The supers are full and capped. I thought retirement was supposed to be easy.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on February 09, 2022, 03:52:15 pm
Come on Les....you love it!! 

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Lesgold on February 09, 2022, 03:57:40 pm
Are you saying the weather, the bees, the work or retirement. Lol
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 13, 2022, 08:50:43 pm
OK - I think I know now why the bees in one yard are doing so well and in the other they have slowed down!

White Mahogeny and Iron bark!
I had one customer and he said " Tastes like ironbark" - looks like you are right, mate.

Both trees would be at their tail end of flowering now.
We could be in for a slow few weeks with not much flowering and showery weather.
I had some old frames i cut the wax foundation out and , having a bit of time, decided to melt the foundation to recover the wax.
A waste of time.
I have a great wax melter but the amount of wax I got out of the frames was not worth the time or electricty. The little wax I did recover will need more processing.
What is the experience other beekeeprs have with recovering old foundations?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 20, 2022, 03:16:02 am
A bit of a break in the showery weather and I had a quick look at a couple of nuc's I still have in the yard.

One lost a queen and I'm not sure if it is worthwhile to give them resources ... as in a couple of frames with eggs or young larvae? Not sure if they would make a queen, a time issue.

One is doing OK but could do with a bit of sun, may need to feed it along for a week. Plenty of brood and it will hatch and will use resources for a while.

The last one is nice and strong but could do with some sun and flying weather too but it is ready to go.

I hope this is a break in the season not the end of it....
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: loisl58 on February 24, 2022, 11:40:02 pm
We have had beekeeper unfriendly weather here in Loch Lomond QLD. My 2nd year beekeeping. Capped honey frames this year 8 last year 14 by same time of year. Box flowering now lots of nectar few fully capped frames. The honey is quite dark and the new wax is yellow.  What a learning experience I got myself into. Exciting too.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on February 25, 2022, 04:21:29 pm
Hi loisl58....welcome!

Yes it's been very wet down your way. Usually it's me complaining about too much rain this time of the year.

The girls will get it dry and capped at some stage once the weather clears.

My supers are all full up here. We have had a strong flow on the bloodwood. I have been taking honey off once its 100% capped... otherwise it's too wet.

Problem is space. If I had the hardware I would be adding more supers.

 It's been a very different season for me up here too. A very very slow start this year, however they are making up for it now!

All that rain your getting may suggest a bumper autum
..and or a strong spring flow next year!!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: loisl58 on February 25, 2022, 10:42:42 pm
Yes agree totally re autumn.  Been 10 or 11 years since we had this sort of rain. I set my first european bee hive up in March 2020, 2nd hive 2022. Had Natives since Feb 2019, just left them in their log.
Thought I was failing as I got anxious when setting up to check bees.
Then the other day saw a UTube interview with Daniel from BeeWeaver Bees. He said it is normal to feel nervous, excited, concerned etc and eventually as skillset improves working bees becomes like a meditation.
I am looking forward to that time, so will keep learning.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on February 26, 2022, 01:50:46 am
Yes that's "normal" and yes you will definitely relax more over time.
Enjoy the journey and let us know what Autumn brings!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 02, 2022, 12:21:53 am
We had a bit of rain - about 600mm ( about 2 feet) Others had a lot more.

All our river fencing is all damaged. It will take a while to fix this.
The cattle are OK, no damage to any houses in our little village.

Others have not been so lucky with lives lost and property too.

I have friends who have lost hives.

I have not been able to access one yard but I'm told they are OK. It will be interesting to see.

I'm told that one of the local beekeepers was seen with a trolley load of white sugar...

I lost one hive but the rest seems insane busy.

One interesting obseravtion...

Last time I checked the bees I was surprised by the few drones in the brood.

I wonder if the blighters knew what was coming?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on March 02, 2022, 04:16:40 pm
Hi Max

Thanks for letting us know your ok.

I have a lot of family in Brisbane.

All are ok including their houses. As you know a lot of people havnt fared so well.

My brother has taken in an entire family. Their house was flooded up to the second level...hes a champion!

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 02, 2022, 05:53:42 pm
Yes, a lot of people are very badly affected and it will take a long time before things are back to "Normal".

I did a food drop last night for a mate who is still flood bound.

We had a heavy storm ( actually " storms") during the night and bridge is under again.

I had the car readdy and loaded to go an mow the yard and check on the bees....another day.

More storms predicted for today.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on March 03, 2022, 02:15:01 am
Thats no good mate...
hopefully it clears for you soon!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 03, 2022, 06:28:19 pm
More storms  are predicted...but the SUN is out at the moment and the Rain Trees are flowering.
The bees will love this.

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: loisl58 on March 08, 2022, 07:04:41 am
Yes, a lot of people are very badly affected and it will take a long time before things are back to "Normal".

I did a food drop last night for a mate who is still flood bound.

We had a heavy storm ( actually " storms") during the night and bridge is under again.

I had the car readdy and loaded to go an mow the yard and check on the bees....another day.

More storms predicted for today.
Here in Loch Lomond QLD We have been getting the odd shower with some heavy rain. Bees are out on Callistemons, which have been putting new flowers after each few days of rain. Some trees really buzzing. Thankfully have had 1 or 2 clear days between rainy weather.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 08, 2022, 04:52:45 pm
We must have been driving past Loch Lomond on the way back from Yamba.

We had lunch at a nice little place at Killarney.

I like the drive on the back roads.
If I remember correctly they did a fair bit of work on that road.
We get on to the main road at Warwick.

Looks good bee country and I have seen some nice hives in the area - maybe your hives?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: loisl58 on March 10, 2022, 04:46:59 am
We are off the main road so they would not be mine. Yes seems to be good bee country. SHB likes the climate too. Killarney is  a lovely town. I do most of my shopping there. Friendly people.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 17, 2022, 01:56:55 am
The Rain Trees are just about finished here - the bees loved them

We have cassia flowering but bees don't seem to work it. The literature gives mixed messages.

A friend tells me that he has seen Bloodwood flowering. We need something flowering to build up hives before the temperature drops .
Jelly Bush is producing further North and along the Coast. We don't get them here

Sad to see the honey season coming to an end so early
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 23, 2022, 05:03:57 am
Perfect day here today.
I checked the bees in one of my yards...strong brood, lovely pattern, few SHB, some honey coming in.

All pretty perfect - no complaints.

Got home to find an e-mail telling me that as the property were my bees are locate had been sold and I will have to move all the hives.

Far from prefect but we will get it done. No rush they tell me.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on March 25, 2022, 05:06:44 am
That's a pain Max...do you have another site in mind?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 25, 2022, 01:27:56 pm
Yes, a pain indeed.

I'm checking with people close to the site.

The properties around there are still i the 150acre plus range and I'm sure I will find a farmer willing to host my bees in return for honey and candles.
I kept the site nice and tidy and the bees never bothered anybody.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on March 26, 2022, 04:33:23 am
I'm sure you will...I wish you luck.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 26, 2022, 10:10:09 pm
Thanks, Bee North

I finished my Autumn check and counted my hives - 49 at this stage. I usually lose some during winter.
Most will go into winter with enough honey to see them through.
Nothing extreme with SHB - I expected more with all the wet weather we have been having. The traps seem to work.
Lots of nice brood. They definitely had a brood break during the extreme wet - there is older capped brood and plenty of larvay and not much in between.
I saw no Chalk Brood. people have been reporting Chalk Brood from along the range - more rain, more humidity, more fog = more Chalk Brood.

I need to replace some brood and some honey boxes - timber does not last as it used to. Or maybe the paint is not as good as in the past?  Most beekeepers do dip their boxes in Copper or something similar and I don't want to bring in poisons if I can help it.

Planning for Spring: I need to replace some odl foundations . I have been too busy or lazy...

The forecast is for above average rain for Autumn and I won't be taking any more honey off.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 02, 2022, 08:23:43 pm
Some time back I spotted a strong hive with Termites in the bottom board.
The termites had moved into the frames and the lugs on some of them had been eaten.
I removed the queen excluder in the hope that the queen would move up into the honey super.
A few times I extraced honey as there was no brood.
A few days ago i notice brood in the honey super and today was the day to clean the hive up.

I had the smoker going and gave the entrance plenty of solid puffs in the hope that the queen would move into the upper box.

I opened the hive with very little smoke and started to remove frame after frame with plenty of brood. Frame 5 !! Eureka!! - the queen.

I quickly moved all the frames from the honey super into what is now the brood box.

The original brood box was a mess.
7 of the frames had their lugs eaten out by the Termites.

# frames are still OK and I moved these into what is now the honey supper - lots of brood!

I addewd 7 good frames to make up the 10 spaces.

Sadly the old brood box has many frames ( all eaten out at the edges) full of perfect brood right across.
What a shame to lose these bees.
I moved the olf brood box aside with the 7 frames - I have no idea what will happen?
Will they hatch and find the queen?
Will they try and make a new queen?

Never had Termites in a hive.

This is a new one - it will be intersting to see what works out.

Bees know best


Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 10, 2022, 10:18:06 pm
I think I have replaced all the porr supers.

Timber is not what it used to be and supers don't seem to last as ell as they used to.

Maybe I'm imagining things?

Mind you, some of the brood boxes I replaced must have been painted by Adam. Or Eve.

They were OLD.

It is a good time to also look at the brood , again and marke some hives for future splits.
I had expected plenty of SHB but I'm glad to report that the numbers are low.

Not much honey but probably enough. We do have a few winter flowering Eucalypts and I have seen them budding.

The clover is growing and with enough rain the Clover could make for an early start in Spring.

I have fixed some of the old supers and fixed old bottom Boards. They all goa couple of coats of good paint.

If we do get an early Spring I will do some supers with Comb Honey. people keep asking for it.

We don't realy get a winter here but brood will slow down.

I note on some Canadian blogs that Spring has still not sprung in parts of North America.

I don't think i could handle long winters anymore. They are talking about 6 month long winters!!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 17, 2022, 04:59:05 am
I went for a walk along the river this afternoon.

The damage from the heavy rain is considerable but nature is fighting back.

Not a lot flowering but the Legumes - which grow everywhere here - are just coming into flower.
The bees seem to work them most of the time , mostly in the morning.

I can smell honey coming in. The bees rae busy as soon as the fog lifts in the morning and the sun shines on their entrance.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on April 25, 2022, 08:59:48 pm
It is raining here.
Itwas raining yesterday and the day before and it looks like we have to expect more rain for a another couple of days.

The Desmodium are flowering profusly but thus article tells me that Honey Bees are only modestly benefiting from these flowers.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00606-019-01603-4

The bees looked busy during the short spells when the sun was out.

I should be shifting hives....but don't want get stuck in wet, soggy soil
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on May 07, 2022, 01:46:29 am
One of the Eucalypts is flowering.

We moved hives last night and they where heavier this time - or I was simply more tired.

I will let the hives settle for a few weeks and then check on them.

Another week of heavy rain ahead of us...
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on May 07, 2022, 07:24:43 pm
Blackbutt!!

A bit late but they are still flowering
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on May 13, 2022, 07:15:16 pm
We had a week of rain here and more on the way.
I wonder what the poor bees are doing?

All hives are well above flood level but I can'r access the hives as the road is closed.

nteresting - talking to beekeepers, all talk about the positive outlook for Spring!

It is Autumn here! Winter next.....and the Spring.

Beekeepers must be a pretty positive, optimistic lot.

Can't wait for the sun and a chance to see some bees flying
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 08, 2022, 04:53:46 am
It has been very, very wet here and further South.
We took a trip and had the chance to speak to a few beekeepers. One is doing OK - the rest lost hives ( one 50%) to the flood, most are hanging in there.

I can access my hives but the ground is soggy.

I'm told that the White Clover is starting to grow with some sun and cooler weather. Sounds promising.

I noticed today that one of the Ironbarks is flowering - the bees need every drop of nectar.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 16, 2022, 02:00:42 am
I went to one of my yards - needde to do some brush cutting around the hives.

I opened a few and to my surprise they are very strong, some have capped honey and all have plenty of brood.
No drones - as expected.
Some SHB - wish they go away.

The clover is growing nicely and I expect a good crop form it in a matter of a few months.

It is still quite wet - I could not get a vehicle close to the hives but the Clover will love this.

Perfect sunny winters day here - 25C and quite warm in the sun.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 22, 2022, 07:32:54 pm
We are enjoying some great winter weather here with temp's in the mid 20's ( celsius) and the bees are busy. I could smell some honey coming in.

My bees are not ideally located for the Ironbark but some Ironbark are flowering and I have seen the first of the Blue Gum too - a little early - they usually start in July.

The days are short but the bees seem to get a fair few hours of flying time in every day. Promising!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 23, 2022, 09:50:38 pm
Perfect winters day here - about 25C and I opened up a few more hives.

Plenty of "old Honey" ( Great!) and even some "new honey" ( Excellent!)

Some hives had enough honey to take...if it was August.

There is brood at all stages  and in a couple of hives too many SHB. As we don't seem to get cold winters anymore ( eg frost) the SHB seem to go through winter here with no problem.

It is predicted to get cooler and cloudier and we may get some rain too.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on June 25, 2022, 05:05:00 pm
Hi Max
Similar up here....still have honey coming in and too many shb!

Mate bet your happy to see some sunshine.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 25, 2022, 07:42:10 pm
Bee North

Yes, lovely to see th sun.
I'm about to leave to have a look at my other yard.

I had one hive with LOTS of SHB - little mongrels are keeping nice and  warm.

We had no frosts here so far and the next week looks mild with some showers. Daytime temps up to 25C - perfect for SHB.

The Blue Gum is trying to flower - far too early and I will check on the Clover too.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on June 26, 2022, 03:46:45 am
Lovely day to spend in the beeyard...

We have not even hit the middle of winter yet and most of the hives have a lot of brood...at all stages.

Not much honey but there seems to be enough to keep the large populations going.

Plenty of pollen too.

I'm a bit worried about the numbers of SHB - we simply don't seem to get the cold spells to knock them.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 10, 2022, 07:58:06 am
You can't juts think about Varroa all day..

I went and checked all the hives again at my favourit yard - nice, sunny, warm day.

All seems Ok. The bees are pretty busy and I could not see anything unusual.

Some honey coming in - the Iron bark, I think.
One hive had about 50 SHB - all lining up for me to squash them.

It is mid winter here...there is brood, plenty of eggs, actice queens. Bees never cluster here.
WE never have a brood break. I don't think we will get a frost this winter.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 18, 2022, 04:15:58 am
We had a perfect day to day - 24C in the shade - mid winter!!

More rain on the wasy and no frosts so far.
The Cobblers Pegs are flowering  and the bees are busy.
I have also seen Tallowood and Floded Gum budding.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 30, 2022, 12:48:18 am
12 months ago we had hives which were honey bound and we  took honey off.

A different situation right now. Some hives are struggling

The temperatures are starting to lift and soon trees which are budding now will be flowering.
Spring can't be far off.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Bee North on August 01, 2022, 06:19:08 am
Interesting Max

Very different up here.

I just took honey off all my hives. A lot of flooded gum are
 still in flower , they have been all winter!

I'm going to have to do splits soon...lots of drones and brood.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: NigelP on August 01, 2022, 01:15:14 pm
We had a perfect day to day - 24C in the shade - mid winter!!
Summer in the UK 24C is considered a heatwave.....
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: The15thMember on August 01, 2022, 02:38:40 pm
We had a perfect day to day - 24C in the shade - mid winter!!
Summer in the UK 24C is considered a heatwave.....
Wow, really?!  I always forget that the UK is so far north.  For us 24C/75F is a mild temperature, depending on the humidity.  We have highs around that in spring and fall.  Hot for us would be around 32C/90F or higher in the summer.   
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 01, 2022, 07:00:24 pm
26C predicted for Friday. Perfect winter weather as far as I'm concerned. I was born in Switzerland and left 50 plus years ago for good reason. I had enough cold weather.

Our Summers are actually not VERY hot but often humid. 40C, like part of the UK experienced recently, is very rare here.
I'm located a bit inland and higher up in a valley.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: The15thMember on August 01, 2022, 08:27:02 pm
26C predicted for Friday. Perfect winter weather as far as I'm concerned. I was born in Switzerland and left 50 plus years ago for good reason. I had enough cold weather.

Our Summers are actually not VERY hot but often humid. 40C, like part of the UK experienced recently, is very rare here.
I'm located a bit inland and higher up in a valley.
Oh us too.  We are always fighting with mold.  We've had 85-90% humidity for the past couple of weeks. 
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 01, 2022, 08:53:02 pm
Mould is not a big issue but in winter I have quite a lot of condensation.
I put a spacer under the lid to give the hive a little more breeding space.
I run 10 frames to the super ( always have) and the end bars swell and this makes removing them difficult.

This winter has been bad with condensation -worse then winters past.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: The15thMember on August 01, 2022, 09:42:11 pm
Mould is not a big issue but in winter I have quite a lot of condensation.
I put a spacer under the lid to give the hive a little more breeding space.
I run 10 frames to the super ( always have) and the end bars swell and this makes removing them difficult.

This winter has been bad with condensation -worse then winters past.
I use moisture quilts in the winter to help with moisture control.  I made myself some out of some shallows I had lying around, and in my climate I doubt I'd ever try to winter without them. 
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 02, 2022, 04:59:37 am
Moisture quilts. Not something we have been using here.

I would need quite a few. Any hints?

https://www.honeybeesuite.com/how-to-make-a-moisture-quilt-for-a-langstroth-hive/
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: The15thMember on August 02, 2022, 10:50:19 am
Moisture quilts. Not something we have been using here.

I would need quite a few. Any hints?

https://www.honeybeesuite.com/how-to-make-a-moisture-quilt-for-a-langstroth-hive/
I got the idea from Rusty's site originally, and I was going to direct you to her.  I ended up doing something a little bit different from her since I couldn't find any ekes, and I had some shallows laying around I wasn't using.  I took #8 hardware cloth (which I just now realize you guys don't have :oops:) and instead of putting it on the bottom like Rusty does, I put it halfway up in the shallow.  This essentially made a eke-sized space in the top, which I line with gauze or tulle (like wedding veil material) to keep the dust from the chips from falling down on the bees, and then I fill the top with pine shavings.  I drilled four ventilation holes in the upper half of the shallow, using a countersink bit, above the hardware cloth, and covered the holes with hardware cloth to keep critters out.  The lower half of the shallow then leaves me room to add sugar balls over the winter if the bees need emergency food.  I've been extremely happy with them.  Depending on the weather and the particular hive, I usually need to change the shavings out a time or two over the winter because they get all soggy.

   
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 04, 2022, 04:35:15 am
I check on some of my hives over the last two days.

Of course we are all on the look-out for Varroa and hope that we don't find any. So far all good here.

There is a little honey coming in - not much.

There is lots of brood at all stages and the queens are busy. I tend to think that  bees know best and I hope that this increasing population will be needed for a flow not far off.

No drones. No drone cells.

Very little pollen and i wonder if I should feed them some supplement?

Far too many SHB. We had no really cold nights here all winter and the soil is moist. I'm worried that we will have a SHB explosion when the weather warms up.

Some of my SHB traps were full of beetles - they do work.

In both yards I lost one hive  - so far.


Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 05, 2022, 04:32:17 am
Moisture quilts. Not something we have been using here.

I would need quite a few. Any hints?

https://www.honeybeesuite.com/how-to-make-a-moisture-quilt-for-a-langstroth-hive/
I got the idea from Rusty's site originally, and I was going to direct you to her.  I ended up doing something a little bit different from her since I couldn't find any ekes, and I had some shallows laying around I wasn't using.  I took #8 hardware cloth (which I just now realize you guys don't have :oops:) and instead of putting it on the bottom like Rusty does, I put it halfway up in the shallow.  This essentially made a eke-sized space in the top, which I line with gauze or tulle (like wedding veil material) to keep the dust from the chips from falling down on the bees, and then I fill the top with pine shavings.  I drilled four ventilation holes in the upper half of the shallow, using a countersink bit, above the hardware cloth, and covered the holes with hardware cloth to keep critters out.  The lower half of the shallow then leaves me room to add sugar balls over the winter if the bees need emergency food.  I've been extremely happy with them.  Depending on the weather and the particular hive, I usually need to change the shavings out a time or two over the winter because they get all soggy.

 I tried something a little diferent.
I lifted the lid about 5mm ( 1/5 inch) with a stick to let more moisture out.
In the few hives i did this, there was defintely a lot less moisture.

I have checked all the hives now  and in one hive the moisture had destroid the end of the top bars - it went to mush and i had to replace the frames.
I do think that we had a rather extreme winter - lots of rain and never realy cold/dry.
I will help a friend with his bees on Sunday ( weather permitting) and it will be interesting to see how his hives have gone.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 14, 2022, 04:42:54 am
We took a little honey off today. Not much - only a few frames in some hives. A lot of work for little return.
Perfect day - nice and warm.

These are my nuc hives.

I have an issue with lifting heavy gear and most of the hives I use to make splits only have 1/2 honey supers. I can just handle these .

I would think that we are just at the very beginning of our Spring flow ( it is officially still winter but trees don't seem to care) - the Blue Gum is flowering in parts - a magnificent show.
The farmer who lives past my hives tells me that the first White Clover is flowering - give it another 14 days.

 A little more to go tomorrow
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 20, 2022, 04:49:42 am
20. August

- First flowers on Clover.
- Blue Gum flowering
- First flowers on Paulownia

Spring is in the air.

Got a Workshop planned for next saturday - should be good if the weather is sunny
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 24, 2022, 01:57:14 am
I have a workshop planed for this Saturday and checked hive to see which ones I should open.
The number of SHB is a real concern.

I can't remember seeing so many.
Last seson when i offered a workshop I had a probelem finding any SHB - now they are everywher. No slimeouts so far but this will get worse with warmer weather on the way.
I did see the first drones - but no drone brood.

A little honey comming in - not much.
What does it all mean?

A later start to the season then we usually experience?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 28, 2022, 03:56:21 am
my son is up for the weekend and we decided to mark some queens to make it easier to find them when the time for splits arrives.

I never bothered before but often finding the queen takes more time then the rest of the split.

I think we opened 8 hives and found 7 queens.

You can't pick up a queen with heavy duty gloves. Surgical gloves are OK or bare hands.

Yes, you probably will get a few stings. I did - good for the arthritic hands.

I was amazed by the strength of all the hives - lots of capped brood and brood at all stages.

Lots of bees, not too many SHB.

These are all queens with Jo Horner genetics.

There is some honey coming in but they have not moved much into the honey super.
One hive is pretty well honey bound but very little honey in the upper box.

We did see some drones and an increasing number of drone cells.

No Queen cells - no swarming signs as yet. Warmer areas must be getting close.

The Clover is coming on and so is the Blue Gum. Some rain is on the way - again. :sad:

enjoy your bees

max
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 02, 2022, 02:43:51 am
It has been a busy day here for the bees:
_ Deep Yellow Wood is flowering, Tallowwood, Blur Gum..Clover.

Also the Brazilian Cherry is covered in Blossoms and so is the Jaboticaba. Interesting, I have seen few bees on these this time. maybe the rest is better value for them. i have to check.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 18, 2022, 07:42:11 pm
The Jaboticabas are out today and the bees are loving it
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 24, 2022, 07:11:12 pm
TheHoneyPump in another part of this website wrote:
If that white clover is anything like what we have around here, it yields huge amounts.  However the conditions needed are:  cool nights with some dew and warm (but not hot) afternoons of 22 C - 28 C.  It shuts down when temperature gets high.  Also does not yield much until the afternoon and keeps flowing into the evening.  The bees are into the ditches and shrubs in the mornings but the afternoons are just a frenzy in the clover fields.

I think the HP is onto something.
We are having these conditions here right now and it looks like the bees are starting to work the Clover.

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 28, 2022, 04:48:27 am
Clover is still disappointing - large areas of Clover but not a lot of bees.
Iron bark is flowering...and Blur Gum, Tallowwwood
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 01, 2022, 10:05:03 pm
This is a Spring like no other is can remember.
I have a mature Jaboticaba next to the gate to the garden.
I flowered about a month ago, had few bees and set very few fruit.
It flowered about 10 days ago - loads of flower - amazing. Quite a few fruit have set.
Now it is budding again...
What is going on?

We had a mild Late winter and early Spring with regular modest rain ( more last night - just 14mm) - perfect growing conditions but little honey
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 07, 2022, 04:26:20 am
My bees have access to a very large area with a LOT of White Clover and yet they don't seem to work it much.
We took some honey off this week.

usually, our fist harvest is very light, typically Clover, honey.

Not this time - the honey is quite dark and we all wonder what is going on.

Also, the SHB have gone crazy and I have lost 3 hives in the last month.

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 10, 2022, 09:33:15 pm
Just back from one of my yards - making best use of a fairly sunny day.

The Blackberries are flowering. Also the Red Bottlebrush, Grevilleas, Lotus bainsii ( spp?) and of course the Clover.

A few bees  at 10AM on the Clover but lots of activity on the BlackBerries.

Blackberries would be seen as a roadside weed here but nobody bothers as they don't seem to spread like they do in cold climates.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 18, 2022, 06:25:43 pm
Rain and more rain predicted here.

White Cedar is flowering and along the coastal areas the Silky Oak is flowering. Here, they are still maybe a week off.
I hope we get some sunshine by then.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 26, 2022, 04:55:26 am
We had nearly a week of heavy rain - floods in many parts.
We are lucky here - about 120mm. The garden did not like it much and a two of my yards are on the wet side.
The rain was followed by a couple of days with temps around 32C - more on the way.
It was hot working bees and more to go.

The Clover did not like the heat at all but the Pecan Nuts are close to flowering. It will give us a nice boost of pollen - always does.

There is a good honey flow on and I'm taking off some 1/2 frames with no wires and I will try my hand at cutting some Comb Honey - see my question elsewhere.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 30, 2022, 05:44:17 pm
We are having a lovely flow on - nobody is quite sure what is flowering.
Jacarandas are out in full glory.

Waterhousia floribunda is budding - always a reliable contibutor.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 30, 2022, 05:46:07 pm
Waterhousea floribunda
http://www.brisrain.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=231
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 04, 2022, 03:50:10 am
Every year around this time the Pecan's are flowering and the bees are going like crazy to collect pollen.

This year - lots of flowers but not a bee?

Is there something" better" around for pollen?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 11, 2022, 03:07:39 am
There is a nice flow on. We have been waiting for a long time for this.

The Waterhousia and other Lilly Pillies are in full bloom at one of my sites and I'm sure they will flower here soon too.


The native Frangipani is out and a Leptospernum - I have to check which one it is.

Also the grounf flora is doing their bit.

It is also worth mentioning that the Pecan's had a fail year - very few nuts have set.

Also, E torreliana , usually a reliable performer, did not flower here this year.

The water Snow flakes are also not performing ...so far.


Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 17, 2022, 07:12:45 pm
The Lilly Pilliy's are being worked by bees this morning.
Also the Tipuana Tipu ( the pride of Bolivia) is out.

I just checkd on some hives I'm using to produce Comb Honey and the frames are filling up realy well.

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: The15thMember on November 17, 2022, 08:23:45 pm
The Lilly Pilliy's are being worked by bees this morning.
Also the Tipuana Tipu ( the pride of Bolivia) is out.

I just checkd on some hives I'm using to produce Comb Honey and the frames are filling up realy well.
I can't get over how fun the names of plants in your country are to say.  We clearly missed many opportunities to have fun when we gave our plants common names in America.  :grin:
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 17, 2022, 10:23:26 pm
We do even better with place names:

https://www.escape.com.au/destinations/australia/foul-bay-banana-nowhere-else-and-other-australian-places-with-weird-names/news-story/d045e64f89c8fde5648e4cdac886829f
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 24, 2022, 11:07:35 pm
A hot day today...

We took some more honey off. The extractor has been playing up. Something with the speedcontrol and i have to find somebody who knows how to fix this - soon.

I plan to visit a large beekeeper next weekn and he may know what is flowering.

We should not forget the weeds along our country roads - Flatweed, Thistles - are in full bloom and the bees would get some pollen of these. On the way to one of my yards a farmers seems to cultivate a Thistle hedge. I don't mind :wink:
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 26, 2022, 04:28:45 pm
Message from a near Gympie:
" we got the same grey ironbark and brush box it is a funny season bees are filling nice and swarming everywhere hopefully weather keeps fine for a bit"
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 05, 2022, 02:30:59 am
Waterhousia floribunda is out. http://www.brisrain.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=231

A good honey plant and very reliable.

We have some very hot days ahead but the waterhousia won't mind.

The bees have been very busy here but I will limit any beework to the early mornings

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 15, 2022, 07:42:16 pm
Lemon Myrtle is just starting to flower. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGiZZdoIrl0
This is an interesting plant. bees love it.
I don't think that this is a very common tree in the flight range of my bees but everytime it flowers well people tell me that they get a hint of lemon/tang taste in the honey - realy lovely.
The Bottle Brush are also flowering and the bees seem to work them all day.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 21, 2022, 11:49:21 pm
I visited a felow beekeeper near Maryborough ( a couple of hundred km's North of us) yesterday and he told me that he started taking honey off in July ( Mac Nuts) and has not stopped.

I visited another beekeeping friend about 50 km South of us and he had a very poor season.

Another friend - just 10 km inland tells me that she is taking Blackbutt honey off

It just shows - beekeeping is very local.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 23, 2022, 12:11:51 am
Euc pilularis is getting a 4 star rating for honey and is also an excellent pollen producer. The literature saus " 27 kg of honey per hive".

Flowering in December seems to be rather early here. It may flower well into late Summer.

https://www.picturethisai.com/wiki/Eucalyptus_pilularis.html
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 27, 2022, 06:41:25 pm
This is an interesting one..

The White Clover was pretty well finished.

We had a week of very mild summer weather with some showers every day...and the Clover has come back.

I have no idea how long it will last or if it will yield any nectar.

The next few days are still quite mild with more showers.

I had hoped to take some honey off and check on the Comb Honey frames but these showers are not the best for beework.

I stick to making up frames for now.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 29, 2022, 11:42:20 pm
Angophora  subvelutina is just starting to flower here.
They will flower through Januaray.

Not much honey and not the best but good pollen and plenty of it.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 06, 2023, 03:45:19 am
Blue Gum -just noticed on a small branch a lot of little buds.
These trees will flower late Winter.
A long wait but positive
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 11, 2023, 02:37:08 am
I moved some bees from a brood box needing attention into a new box.
A lovely, calm hive bringing in loads of nectar and dark yellow pollen.

Looking around i noticed strips of Flatweed https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/hypochaeris-radicata/

The bees love them.
The plant will grow best along rodsides even in gravelly soil - a tough plant.

For some reason i can not explain, Blackberries are flowering again.
This is the middle of our wet season but the last few weeks have been relatively dry. Great weather for bees >
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Lesgold on January 11, 2023, 03:49:28 am
The comb turns quite yellow from the flat weed. Bees seem to work it a lot this time of year. Not sure if it produces much nectar but a mate tells me that if there is nothing else coming in, the honey can be a little bitter. The beeswax from cappings  is often a brilliant yellow (I put it down to the flat weed)
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 12, 2023, 05:18:48 pm
The comb turns quite yellow from the flat weed. Bees seem to work it a lot this time of year. Not sure if it produces much nectar but a mate tells me that if there is nothing else coming in, the honey can be a little bitter. The beeswax from cappings  is often a brilliant yellow (I put it down to the flat weed)

What I find very interesting is that one hive in a yard can have very yellow cappings and the hive next to it has " normal" coloured wax.

Our winters have been very mild in recent years - no hard frost- and i notice that Privit is creeping in.
The flowers stink and i wonder what the honey is like?

Up on the range with no frost the slopes are covered in privet. Lucky for me, our bees won't be venturing this far :cheesy:
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Acebird on January 13, 2023, 08:44:09 am
Looking around i noticed strips of Flatweed https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/hypochaeris-radicata/
Looks like our dandelion.  My grandfather used to make wine from them.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 13, 2023, 05:18:07 pm
" looks like dandelion"

Dandelion has a single, hollow stem. Flat Weed has multiple stems.
The flower of Flatweed is smaller.

Growing up in Switzerland with an Italian mother we would collect Dandelion as a salad vegetable - all poor people did.
Today dandelion is served in upmarked restaurants!

My mother would serve it with oil/vinegar dressing with a par boiled egg...to take care of the bitterness.

To this day I dedicate a garden bed to Dandelion, Chicory and Rocket ( you may know it as " Arugula")

Farmers liked the dandelion in their pasture as it was increasing milk production.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 20, 2023, 12:49:40 am
This is our wet season but it has not been very wet. Some showers - about 30mm of rain. Humid..

This is the time when trees may flower but the nectar /pollen is washed out before it is of any benefit to the bees.

We have a weed here " Cobblers peg" , also know as " Farmers Friend" - it has velcro type seeds which will attach to clothing.
One good , very positive aspect: it flowers 10 minutes after rain stopes..good honey and pollen as well, bees love it
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Lesgold on January 20, 2023, 03:33:43 am
I didn?t know that Max. I spend a lot of time pulling the darn stuff out. It?s a pretty invasive weed that loves to stick to bee suits and especially socks.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 20, 2023, 03:42:57 am
It is a nuisance weed here too and people also pull it out...BUT great for bees.

need any seeds? :wink:

I watched your video were you are making foundations - I would love one of these embossers.

market tomorrow - all packed up, ready to go
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 20, 2023, 03:49:12 am
Just in case people don't know what we are talking about https://pollinatorlink.org/2015/02/04/the-treasure-in-the-jungle-of-weeds/
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on May 10, 2023, 03:37:44 am
While the start of the season was painfully slow - floods, too much rain..good b\nectar flows have been experienced in most areas since before Christmas  with avearage harvest around 120 to 150kg per hive.

Blood wood has ben a contributer in recent months.

Blue Gum is budding.

We need more rain this month for a productive Spring start and a good Clover flow
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on May 24, 2023, 01:11:09 am
Winter has not yet arrived - the bees are busy and honey is coming in...and the Blue Gum is budding like crazy.
Looking good for an early start to the next season
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Occam on May 24, 2023, 11:33:37 pm
I had to look up what blue gum was, beautiful trees!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 10, 2023, 06:45:20 pm
Recent rain has helped the Clover along and I have seen the first flowers. It will be another few weeks...and more rain before we know that the Clover will contribute. last year the Clover was flowering realy well but the bees did not work the flowers.

Tallowwood is flowering - about a month early.

Blue Gum is , well, very close to flowering.

The Cobblers Pegs have not been killed off by frost in most areas so far.

It is mid winter and things can chage very quickly, but , so far, the outlook is very positive.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 28, 2023, 10:30:29 pm
29. 7. 23 I noted that the Jacobicabas are about to flower.
We need rain here for the Clover to take off
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on July 30, 2023, 04:58:55 am
Travelling South from here i noticed Blue Gum, Tallowwwod and Grey Gum ( I think) flowering near Glasshouse..
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Beelab on August 01, 2023, 03:45:37 am
Jabotikaba is sure flowering, and tallow is keeping on, started 6 weeks ago, over a month early.
Can?t see big gums flowering yet up at Mt Jerusalem.
Bit worried about early swarm season, as I?ll be away at Apimondia.

Everything seems to go to flower early this year.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 01, 2023, 04:35:52 am
Mt Jerusalem? That is near Byron?

Yes, the smel of Jaboticaba is quite amazing.
Looks like we could get some rain. The Clover has started to flower. It would be lovely to see it doing well.
Where is Apimondia this time?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Ben Framed on August 01, 2023, 07:20:38 am
Quote
Jabotikaba is sure flowering,


Congratulations on the bloom!
Beelab, does this plant make a light colored, dark colored , or maybe somewhere in between type honey?
Form currisiouty; the name Jabotikaba, it that an aboriginal word?

Phillip
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Beelab on August 01, 2023, 07:29:34 pm
Apimondia is in Santiago, Chile.
Mt Jerusalem National Park borders Byron Shire on the west side.

We only have 2 Jaboticaba trees, not sure about the honey colour. They bloom 3 to 4 times per year.
The bees go crazy on them, but only in the morning.
I think Jaboticaba is a Mexican name. The fruits look like cherries, makes a strong red wine if you care to juice them and add yeast.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 01, 2023, 08:19:43 pm
Hi Beelab,

you will like Santiago - lovely place.
I was working there many years ago and was approached regularly by male and female students to be my " escort".

It took me a a day or two to realise that these students are offering to be tourist guides - nothing sinister there.

I booked one and he took around places i would never have found without a guide.

Jabodicaba - yes, the bees love it. Not sure if the bees bring in enough ( we have maybe 6  or so trees, very large ones) nectar to tell. The smell is amazing too when they flower.

The fruit : I like them straight off the tree. if the birds don't attack them you will have more than you can eat.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Ben Framed on August 01, 2023, 11:37:19 pm
Apimondia is in Santiago, Chile.
Mt Jerusalem National Park borders Byron Shire on the west side.

We only have 2 Jaboticaba trees, not sure about the honey colour. They bloom 3 to 4 times per year.
The bees go crazy on them, but only in the morning.
I think Jaboticaba is a Mexican name. The fruits look like cherries, makes a strong red wine if you care to juice them and add yeast.

Thanks Beelab..
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 03, 2023, 10:21:37 pm
It could get warm for Apimondia
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-04/south-america-extreme-heat-mid-winter-climate-change-scientists/102678662

Looks like Climate Chage has hit South America now too
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: BeeMaster2 on August 06, 2023, 08:58:45 pm
I find it amazing that these so called experts never once mentioned that the volcano off on New Zealand on January 15, 2022. It was reported to have major impact on the world climate because it increased the amount moisture in the air by 10%.
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 08, 2023, 07:52:31 am
Which volcano was this, Jim?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 08, 2023, 07:53:38 am
Tallowwood are still flowering realy well.

Paulownia's are out - bees love it.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Ben Framed on August 08, 2023, 08:00:53 am
Which volcano was this, Jim?

https://beemaster.com/forum/index.php?topic=56664.msg519516#msg519516
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Beelab on August 21, 2023, 02:35:45 am
I can?t believe the tallow keeps producing in byron hinterland. Actually getting honey from it. The tallow has been on for near 8 weeks and just comes up with new blossoms still. Never seen that before.

Max, love Santiago. Nobody wanted to be my escort yet, but had my phone stolen out of a zipped puffer jacket pocket.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 21, 2023, 06:31:00 pm
Sorry to hear about the phone.
I don't own a mobile - too deaf to use one.

Ask at your hotel if any students are around to give you a tour.

Chile, Argentina and Brazil are wonderful places for people who like 9 as I do) meat and red wine....and great music.

I have been lucky to have worked in all these places multiple times.

My first to Argentina was a long one as I had to fly via Sydney , Tahiti, Easter island, Santiago to Buenos!!

Enjoy your stay. Hope the conference is a worthwhile one.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 21, 2023, 06:37:36 pm
Some strong winds blew off a few branches of my local trees - some covered in buds.
The clover too seems to be getting enough moisture from early morning fog and the bees are, still only reluctantly, working it.

I have moved some cattle into Clover paddocks - hope they don't get too many stings :tongue:
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on August 29, 2023, 07:45:49 am
I took honey off this morning...and then the first Spring storm came across - nothing major but we got 61/2 mm out of it.
The Clover will love it
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on September 20, 2023, 10:14:37 pm
Spring has sprung!
We need more rain but the occasional storm and shower have kept most plants pretty happy.At the moment a lot of flowers  are out.
The Clover is doing well as are some of the groundflora - mostly weeds.The tallowwood is still doing well but without some serious rain it will ease off.The same applies to the Ironbarks.The Bluegum is having a break but is budding and under the right conditions will kick in again.The Silky Oak is out in its glory . They seem to like dry conditions. Other Grevilleas are also out. The White Cedar is in full bloom.The water lilies are flowering, the water snowflakes are also out.Minor species like native Frangipani, Brazilian Cherry,jaboticaba are also flowering.The Torelliana 's are budding. I have just noticed budburst on the Pecan nuts.
I will have to check on the waterhouses. Too early for the Brushbox to show any signs.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 12, 2023, 02:41:24 am
Yes, the Clover is doing brilliantly right now. It won't last ( rxcept in irrigatd areas) if we don't get some good rain.

The tallowwodd is still flowering and the Blur Gum has picked up again.

Black berries are in full bloom. They seem to grow here in lower, moisture areas and are not affected by the long dry.

The Silky Oaks are in full bloom - they are dripping with nectar but i did not see a singlke bee working them
( Silky Oak is a Grevillea - not an Oak :wink:)
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 16, 2023, 10:55:58 pm
With this extended dry...I'm waiting for the flow to simply stop but trees seem to panick and keep producing flowers in the hope to produce seed and continue to exist.

If you look closely, and as beekeepers our bees depend on our observations, you can see how nature works...there is a plan.


Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on October 26, 2023, 05:48:10 pm
The clover is still producing.
One of the farmers appears to have sprayed out one paddock which had a lot of clover. I have no idea what the rationale is for this?
It is bone dry here and he would not get a good germination if he would seed now.
Black Beans are flowering in the rainforest gullies. The Waterhousias are opening up along the ( near dry) Mary River.

Rain is getting urgent.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 04, 2023, 06:31:31 pm
While we are waiting for rain....the jacarandas are flowering and the bees are " going mad" on them.
So I'm told
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on November 08, 2023, 11:56:22 pm
I made up a few more nuc's at one of my yards and was surprised to see some green grass.

Looks like some areas close to me had a bit more rain then we had .

We had a good season so far but the flow has eased.

This rain will give the clover another little kick along.

The next couple of months are often the best - we can hope for some Ironbark to flower, maybe even some Brushbox. I have to check back to see when the Brushbox did well.

The waterhousias are flowering in parts...
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 03, 2023, 12:02:45 am
It has been very hot here and finally we have been lucky to receive some rain.
As I hoped, the BrushBox is flowering.

The car park at the venue were we had our market stall last Saturday was lined with BrushBox and the trees, even quite young ones, had buds and flowers.
In the same area i also found flowering Lilly Pillies..

The flow is still on - working in the heat is not my idea of fun but the coming week looks a little more comfortable .

We had the opportunity to take honey off on two days last week.
On we go
max
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 03, 2023, 08:29:12 pm
Just noticed ( 4. December) that the Grumichamas are flowering - the bees love them.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=grumichama
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 14, 2023, 12:39:15 am
The last honey we pulled is much darker - the Clover is gone and maybe this is Brushboxx honey?

Grey Gum should be flowering too...may some of the ironbarks?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 19, 2023, 02:04:08 am
Looks like Blackbutt is doing OK...
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 23, 2023, 09:38:21 pm
We are getting nice showers - glad we have so far missed out on storms.

The ironbark should respond to these conditions.

I think Brushbox just missed the rain by weeks.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Ben Framed on December 23, 2023, 11:34:30 pm
Max do you have tornados in your section of Australia, or anywhere in Australia?
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 24, 2023, 12:44:37 am
Tornados are rare in Australia but we do get Cyclones here.
Right now a storm is passing over with very heavy rain.
Google " Nambour weather" and you will see what is happening here weatherwise
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 27, 2023, 09:55:46 pm
We had good rain ( well storms) and soil moisture is OK - the grass is growing like crazy.

I notice the Lilly Pilly is budding again. The sun flowers are out and the bees are on them. Interesting to se that there seem to be about 5 native bees per Honey Bee on each flower.

Weeds ( I prefer to call it " ground flora" ) is benefitting from the rain. Bees love some of them and Cobblers Pegs make a lovely honey.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on December 29, 2023, 05:21:09 pm
Ironbark!

I can smell the honey in the hot evening breeze.

There is no way that i will take honey off in this heat.

January/February are humid months and working bees is not much fun. I may take some honey off again when the weather suits
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 06, 2024, 01:26:19 am
We have been receiving steady rain for a few weeks now.
Unlike areas North and South of us we had very little flooding and only minor damage.
I feel for the beekeepers ( and everybody else) who had to deal with damaging storms and major flooding.

Nearly two years ago we had major flooding and while we " fixed" fences and other infrastructure, you never bring it back to what it was.
Our brand new fence was flooded and it will always look a bit wonky now.

Prolonged rain is not ideal for the bees .
SHB numbers can explode and I expect a couple of slime outs.
It is impossible to check on bees in this weather and when there is a short , sunny break it is incredibly humid.
Such is life in the Subtropics!

There are of course long term benefits from this steady rain.

Most of our honey is Eucalypt based. 80 % is probably a low figure. Most of the major flows are Eucalypt flows.
The great exception in my area is Clover . But even clover is often mixed with Blue Gum ( E, tereticornis)
Many of our Eucalypts have a long period from bud to flower and often depend on weather conditions ( temperature, rain, humidity...) to perform well.
It is not uncommon for a Eucalypt to flower profusely without delivering any nectar.
Many of our Eucalypts carry the buds for 2 to 3 months before flowering ( for example Corymbia  gummifera, E. microcarpa, E. grandis...)

While others carry buds for  6 to 8 months or longer ( for example Corymbia  eximia, E. propinqua, E. saligna, E. tereticornis...)
And some will carry them for 18 months or longer ( for example Corymbia Citriodora, Corymbia  maculata, E. obliqua, e. melliodora, E. moluccana...)

So, what it all means is that the lovely rain we are receiving will mean a potential good harvest many months from now.

E. tessellaris is currently flowering but it is only of minor importance for our bees.

Beekeeping will never get boring.
Getting to know the flowering behaviour of the plants the bees are so depending on makes it all even more interesting.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 17, 2024, 05:21:35 pm
Lemon Myrtle!

Finally. The trees had been flowering for a while in lower areas. The bees love them but I doubt that we have enough to make a difference to a nectar flow.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 25, 2024, 04:27:01 pm
I notice the Leopard trees are out!
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on January 29, 2024, 05:57:09 pm
The Mock Orange is out.
The bees usually like them but their won't be many bees flying today!

The farmer next door to one of my yards can't harvest the Lucerne which means that they field will probably be flowering.
A nice bonus. Something to look forward to when the sun is out again.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 12, 2024, 06:17:00 pm
This is Ironbark flowering time!
Like all Eucalypts , IB flowers during the night time most prolifically. Rain during the night will wash out nectar and pollen.
I would love to get some of the honey - great stuff.

Soon we will be buying seed for winter pastures.
We will be mixing in plenty of white clover again with the winter rye.
Oats are in short supply this year.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 13, 2024, 04:00:42 am
A 100 Million Varroa plan

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-13/plan-slow-varroa-mite-spread-australia-focuses-beekeepers/103458434

Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on February 17, 2024, 12:14:32 am
What is flowering? Good question.
Whatever is flowering is being washed out.

Time to step back a bit and let the bees be bees.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Michael Bush on February 19, 2024, 07:20:22 am
Every country that Varroa show up in wastes a lot of bees and a lot of money only to find that there's nothing they can do about it.  I'm sure Australia will repeat all the same wasteful ideas.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Terri Yaki on February 19, 2024, 08:40:05 am
Every country that Varroa show up in wastes a lot of bees and a lot of money only to find that there's nothing they can do about it.  I'm sure Australia will repeat all the same wasteful ideas.
I don't understand that concept. It's not like we can't talk to teach other and share such things. You might not have the spotted lantern flies yet but sooner or later you will. They are another gift to us from Asia. They overtook the Korean Peninsula is short order, like just a couple of years. Anyway, you'll hear all kinds of nonsensical ways to deal with them. Including but not limited to climbing a ladder against a tree to scrape their eggs off. It's all futile.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: BeeMaster2 on February 19, 2024, 10:32:20 pm
People in my sisters neighborhood put a 12? wide sticky tape around the trunk of the maple trees and other trees that they attack, about head high. It seems to work. The bugs climb up the trunk and get stuck in the tape.
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Michael Bush on February 20, 2024, 07:35:34 am
I think most of our insect problems are exacerbated by pesticides.  I don't hear whippoorwills anymore.  The quail are gone.  The pheasants are gone.  The bats are mostly gone.  All the things that used to eat the insects.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: Ben Framed on February 20, 2024, 10:36:13 am
You may be right. I don?t hear whippoorwills any more either. Quail in my area are gone too.
Title: Re: What's flowering: Queensland
Post by: max2 on March 25, 2024, 09:52:24 pm

Flowering.

There is not much to report.
The weather has been against us - too wet. Bees can't fly and pollen and nectar would be washed out.
I can see that the Blue Gum ( E. tereticornis) is budding heavily.
It is a reliable producer at the end of winter into spring.
We do get some surplus honey most years and occasionally a good flow.
The timing, just before a strong buildup of brood can be magic magic.

With plenty of soil moisture Clover often performs well too.
A great time to make early splits and some queens. We shall see.

I can see the Golden Rain Trees are  flowering (Koelreuteria elegans subsp. formosana)
It is considered a weed around here but bees love it.
I suspect that the honey is rather dark.

No luck this year . They are a lovely tree to watch bees at work - when the sun shines.

During our wet season we generally find that Cobbler's pegs ( Bidens pilosa) keep our bees happy if we get short bursts of sunshine. Even they could not provide some sustenance for our bees.