By Jerry Przybylski, local bees preferred The weather is warming up. Good rainfall this year translates to good nectar production. These are good times for domestic and feral colonies. They’re programmed to build up and swarm. These are challenging times for beekeepers. Inspect often to keep abreast of progress in …
By Jerry Przybylski, local bees preferred Spring is here, bringing with it the nectar flow, the explosive expansion, and the potential for swarming. Do have a swarm-trap/bait-hive in the yard to attract a swarm your hive may generate… or perhaps a swarm from the neighborhood.
Brrrr… and where’s my umbrella! And hey… what are those bees doing flying out in the rain??
Bees forage when the temperature is above 50ºF, and other conditions are favorable. The warm-enough fraction of the day when it’s warm enough is pretty short. Light rain doesn’t stop them. The eucalyptus are still blooming; rich source of nectar and pollen. Acacia. Lavender. Leptospermum. Rosemary. Oxalis, and other weeds. Other fruit trees should start blooming this month. Colonies will build up, and get crowded if we’re not paying attention. Crowded colonies decide to swarm.
By Gerald Przybylski Jerry has been an East-Oakland beekeeper since 2011; local bees preferred. What are our bees up to? It takes several cycles of brood-rearing for a colony to build up the one-deep-box-full population (~20,000) required to take advantage of the spring flowers. Each new generation of bees takes …
By Gerald Przybylski Jerry has been an East-Oakland beekeeper since 2011; local bees preferred. In mid day when the temperature is above 55ºF, the bees should be foraging a little. If they’re bringing back pollen, that’s a good sign.
