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Author Topic: Rain and Honey production.  (Read 2731 times)

Anonymous

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Rain and Honey production.
« on: September 13, 2004, 02:13:31 pm »
This has been an odd year in this part of the country weather wise. We have set records on rain fall amounts in every month starting in May to date. Mays record amounts of rain came in the last two weeks here.
Since this is my second year with bees I have some notes to compair 2003 to 2004.
This year the honey production in this area is down about 1/3d over last years dismal showing.
For many of the plants, the rain washed the nectar and pollen off them, then it took the plant 3 days to again have the nectar and pollen the bees gather. Since it was rare that we had 3 clear days in a row the bees were working many of the sources where the nectar and pollen are protected some what. Here they worked the red clover and white dutch clover a lot, the sweet clover rarely got touched. The wild bee balm and hawk weed (close up on cloudy wet days)had large amounts of bees working them on most nice days.
Now we have had 2 weeks of clear nice, hotter than normal weather and the bees are finally working the golden rod and asters.
I was told this morning that the golden rod necter is drying up though and we could use a bit of rain to bring it back to snuff again. Last year there wasn't much coming from the golden rod due to our drought last summer.

 :D Al

 

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