Author Topic: what is everyone seeing? (Read 23544 times)

10framer · « **on:** January 04, 2015, 02:47:52 pm »

i got out and walked some fields between showers yesterday and i'm seeing signs of a possible early spring down here. henbit is up and should be blooming any day, my ball clover is up a few weeks earlier than last year, my crimson is already getting a little tall and wax myrtle and privet are putting on new leaves already.
i know this doesn't mean squat down here because we could still end up with a hard frost in april. still if the stars line up right and the weather cooperates i think the flows could start early this year. i'm going to look at the red maples on my way into town today.
what is everybody else seeing?

AllenF · « **Reply #1 on:** January 04, 2015, 03:27:49 pm »

Broccoli needs picking and more firewood brought to the house with the cold front coming in middle of this week here in North Georgia. They are talking about 12 degrees to single digits. We'll see.

sterling · « **Reply #2 on:** January 04, 2015, 04:01:29 pm »

Highs 25f Wed and Thurs lows 6f here in Mt Juliet. But I did see a couple dandelions blomming yesterday, they are in for a shock.

10framer · « **Reply #3 on:** January 04, 2015, 04:42:31 pm »

they show lows in the teens here but it warms right back up a couple of days later. we could easily end up with ice in march again but i'm hoping against it this year.

Dallasbeek · « **Reply #4 on:** January 04, 2015, 06:02:47 pm »

10-framer, you're about 20 minutes latitude south of my location, which is negligible. Our cold weather just started(we had a light freeze in November, but fairly warm since then). Our average first frost is about November 19 and average last frost about March 19. I'd be surprised if spring will be this early for either of us, though it would be nice. I have a fig tree that budded out after that early November frost, to be caught by freezing westher this week. A friend had irises blooming last week. I'm sure they will have a second spring later.

10framer · « **Reply #5 on:** January 05, 2015, 12:24:44 am »

dallas, i'm not planning on supering next week. i wouldn't complain if i needed to before april, though.

Dallasbeek · « **Reply #6 on:** January 05, 2015, 03:14:22 pm »

The Wall Street Journal today says diesel fuel prices fell for the ninth straight week last week because demand for heating oil in the Northeast has been lower than usual. Diesel oil and heating oil are pretty much the same. In another thread on the Forum, about gas prices, Blue puzzled over the difference in price of gasoline and diesel. I wasn't aware diesel and heating oil were the same. Anyway, the WSJ talks about the mild winter in the Northeast, with snow covering only 42% of the area, compared to 86% the same day last year. So our observations in our areas are also being noted up north. Maybe there's hope for supering in April after all.

10framer · « **Reply #7 on:** January 05, 2015, 03:23:46 pm »

temperature is only one factor. a couple of years ago things bloomed a little early but rain and high winds kept the bees in.

hilltophermit · « **Reply #8 on:** January 11, 2015, 03:15:17 pm »

My apologizes, but i couldn?t help but chuckle a little at this thread. Night time temps have been hovering around zero. wind chills -20. Its 22F now and that?s the warmest in several days. Just over the hill to my north, they have been battling , again, lake effect snows measured in feet. Blown by wind gusts reaching 40 mph or more. I have been lucky, a degree or two change in the wind direction and it would have been upon me. Early spring? Way too early to hope for that here! :)

jayj200 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 11, 2015, 05:12:18 pm »

me too! I had to wear a T shirt today

Packrat3wires · « **Reply #10 on:** January 12, 2015, 12:50:10 pm »

Here is West Kentucky we had a hard cold snap last week. Temperature around zero with wind chills around 20 below. This week we hit upper 30 degree range but the rest of the week looks like mid teens for lows and upper 20's for highs. The crappy weather gave me chance to build three 8' hive stands. I am already dreaming of spring and seeing all my girls!!!

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 12, 2015, 01:12:06 pm »

My girls are in full build mode. In the observation hive they have toe entire brood area full of brood, it was completely empty a month ago. they ware bringing in lots of maple pollen and nectar. They filled almost all of the drone brood cells with nectar and are still building more. Their numbers will be doubling any day now as they are hatching. I am hoping they will start to build new comb soon in the 2 empty foundationless frames on top of the hive. I just hope all of the other hives are doing the same.
I hope we do not have a long cold spell in the future although a quick cold snap can reset the maple bloom and make it start all over from what I am told.
Jim

10framer · « **Reply #12 on:** January 12, 2015, 02:10:51 pm »

yeah, we've had a 3 day cold snap and now it's being followed by rain because it seems like i live in some kind of sub tropical rain forest.
so the maple is on a little south of me, that's kind of what i expected. i'm going to want to go through and feed again the first chance i get and see just how strong the hives are. seems like they're gearing up a lot earlier than last year.
i don't know how you guys up north do it. i get stir crazy enough in our short winters down here.

jayj200 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 14, 2015, 09:18:04 am »

mine are acting like it is summer. there building numbers

BlueBee · « **Reply #14 on:** January 14, 2015, 10:56:54 am »

I'm seeing pure WHITE and ground as hard as steel right now.....

The Great Lakes are now 30% iced over.

Carol · « **Reply #15 on:** January 14, 2015, 03:21:28 pm »

Central FL....bees bringing in lots of pollen. The TBH had new white comb. The Langs hive that I was concerned about has stored honey...guess the robber screens helped. All 3 hives had orientation at the same time two days in a row. Only in low 60's today..no sun...bees are working but not like yesterday.

Dallasbeek · « **Reply #16 on:** January 16, 2015, 03:28:58 pm »

After about 10 days below 50f, today it's about 60f and the girls are lovin' it. Both my hives are active. Supposed to be like this at least through the weekend.

GSF · « **Reply #17 on:** January 17, 2015, 07:51:15 pm »

Lots of red pollen today.

biggraham610 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 17, 2015, 10:50:19 pm »

Quote from: sawdstmakr on January 12, 2015, 01:12:06 pm

My girls are in full build mode. In the observation hive they have toe entire brood area full of brood, it was completely empty a month ago. they ware bringing in lots of maple pollen and nectar. They filled almost all of the drone brood cells with nectar and are still building more. Their numbers will be doubling any day now as they are hatching. I am hoping they will start to build new comb soon in the 2 empty foundationless frames on top of the hive. I just hope all of the other hives are doing the same.
I hope we do not have a long cold spell in the future although a quick cold snap can reset the maple bloom and make it start all over from what I am told.
Jim

OK Jim, the knifes in........ now just twist it a little........... man im jealous, I hate this time of year when it comes to the bees, we just had a couple brutal weeks and are lucky to see 40 for an hour during the day. Sad to be glad when you see a couple dead bees on the porch so you know your mortuary bees are still working. Finally peeked for a minute today, 5 still kicking, lost 2 earlier, mites......... Hoping for the best on these 5. 4 seem strong, 1s still hangin, only time will tell I expect. Happy for you deep southern boys. G

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 17, 2015, 11:29:06 pm »

G,
Not trying to dig it in, just sharing what I am seeing. Not sure how long it will last but they are still putting on weight on the hives from the maple trees. Still have a full brood area but no drone brood.
Jim