Disclaimer:

This blog explains how I keep bees. It works for me, it might not work for you. Use my methods at your own risk. Always wear protective clothing and use a smoker when working bees.

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Saturday, April 28, 2007

The Dandelion Flow/ Don't let this weed plug you up.

In a week or so the dandelions will be out. I have some strong overwintered colonies.
It is important to put honey supers on these colonies. If I don't, a strong colony can fill up the brood nest with honey and leave no room for brood. With no room for brood the colony will start too dwindle and not be able to produce excess honey or have a population to survive the winter.
This condition is called being honey bound.
I don't have to worry about my package bees though. In this case the dandelions are not a problem.
Being honey bound can also happen if the honey supers are put on too late into any strong nectar flow. We can also get honey bound if there are not enough supers on during a nectar flow.
The dandelion flow is the first strong flow of the year. The bees are really out working the flowers.
If a person is wondering why the feeder pails are not going down during this time is, the bees prefer the real nectar instead of what the beekeeper is giving them.
After the dandelion flow is over the feeder pails will be fed on by the bees again.