The Joys of Beekeeping

By Pat McGinty 
“Go with the flow.”  It is kind of like being one with the force – but with honeybees, “no flow means no go.” 

The flow I am speaking about here is the “nectar flow” and the “go” is the production of honey to feed the hive and have surplus to share with me, the beekeeper.

Checking the super frames in the apiary (aka Bee Yard)

As I am writing this I can look out my east window and see dark storm clouds that are taking needed rain out of the Elk area and off somewhere northeast. Why is this a problem? Because without rain native plants dry up and no longer provide nectar for the bees to gather. Additionally, some of my neighbor’s wells have lower (or non-existent) water levels and they quit watering their gardens, thereby eliminating more nectar sources. But I am getting ahead of myself (and doing some whining as well.)

If you are around beekeepers much you will hear them speak longingly of the nectar flow.  But just what does it mean and why is it so important?

According to a compilation of several sources, the best definition of the nectar flow is the time when a large majority of plant material is blooming and, weather permitting, those busy forager bees are gathering this excess sugar water produced by the plants to carry back to the hive. It is kind of like hitting the Dollar Store just as the latest goods are being delivered; the shelves are full and you can really stock up. Since nectar and pollen are the main sources of food for the bees a good supply is necessary to their survival. In this area of the world, the nectar flow usually starts when the dandelions and the serviceberry bushes bloom (could be as early as April or as late as the end of May these days) and is pretty much done when the tansy and knapweed finish blooming (as early as the end of August or as late as early October.)  It also important to know the nectar flow has a formula: temperature + water + plants - wind.  

Around here the first thing that has to happen is the temperature needs to move considerably above freezing (say a nice 55 to 60 degrees.)  We need to have a good snow pack and copious spring rain (this not only helps spring nectar flow but gives a huge boost to summer/early fall nectar flow.)  Then we need a lot of plants that produce blooms: dandelion, serviceberry, Oregon grape, snowberry, clover, mint, tansy, wild rose, and hawthorne to name a few natives. Then there are borage, lemon balm, asters, lavender, poppies, sunflowers, veronica, willow, herbs, and fruit trees to name a few in the garden.  

Once again the weather has to cooperate so we don’t get an unexpected killing frost or off-the-chart heat (think 100+ degrees.) And then there is the wind. What kind of effect could wind have? Let us think back a mere year ago and all that firewood we now have because of wind. Additionally, it dries the nectar out of the plants so it is not there for the bees. We need wind to cool down those overly hot days but, as with many things, we need it in moderation. 

So assuming all these components come together how does nectar flow influence honey production?

The spring nectar flow is to give the bees that survived winter an opportunity to rebuild their numbers after a long period of keeping the queen warm and fed. Their numbers are small and, depending on how much food storage they had at the beginning of winter, they may be weak. They have exhausted the pantry and are now waiting for the resupply at the Dollar Store. Sometimes beekeepers have to feed the colony with sugar syrup and pollen patties to keep the bees going until the dandelion and serviceberry bush blossoms open up. This is not the most nutritious food for the bees but sometimes you have to eat beans when you would rather have steak (if you get my drift). So from the time the dandelions bloom until about the end of June (or sometimes July) the bees are restoring their food supply and raising thousands of new bees that will continue to harvest surplus nectar (if it is available.)  Once they have filled a second brood deep of frames with nectar converted to honey for themselves, then the beekeeper starts adding “supers”.  (According to Michael Bush of Bush Farms Beekeeping, the Latin meaning for the word “super” is “above.”  So anything “above” the brood boxes is called “supers.”)

We are now into the summer nectar flow; the one the beekeepers looking for their own supply of honey have been dreaming about (the bees, however, think they are still collecting for the colony.) Although we are seeing knapweed and tansy in the fields and alongside the road, many of the other plants (elderberry, serviceberry, Oregon grape for instance) are in the fruiting stages. Once a plant reaches the fruiting stage it no longer produces nectar. Also we are having very little rain. Water is what pushes the nectar the plant does not need for itself out to the flowers (and in some cases the leaves) and makes it available for the bees to gather. So no matter how many flowers you might see it doesn’t mean the nectar is available for the bees to collect. (A year like this makes me wish I was keeping bees in a garden friendly residential area.)  A lot of this situation is due to the extra-early spring many were so pleased to see. 

So will there be an early fall nectar flow? It is hard to say. The weather patterns have become unpredictable and we could just as easily get a foot of snow or more 100-degree days. My two hives each have two supers. When I checked the bees last week the northern hive was well stocked for winter in the two brood deeps and had a super about half full.  The southern hive was not as well stocked for winter in the brood deeps and wasn’t even considering the supers. I would love to see a strong rainfall and a late bloom that could change the picture but I am not in charge. I keep bees the way I garden; I leave it up to God.

I just recently took a drop-spindle spinning class and at the end the instructor said the class was more about gaining an appreciation for the way wool for knitting and crocheting is made than learning how to spin wool. Hopefully learning what it takes to produce the honey for your biscuits (and how tenuous a process it is) will give you greater appreciation for all honey. 

The Backyard Beekeepers Association continues to grow. We are now meeting at the Deer Park Library (208 E. Forest Ave.) on the third Thursday of the month. The next meeting is Aug. 20 at 6:30 p.m. We will be learning about the best alternative ways to feed the bees if nectar isn’t available. We are also planning a field trip to commercial and hobby apiaries in September. And if this column hasn’t completely discouraged you from keeping bees, we are having beginning beekeeping classes in October. The cost will be $30 and class size is limited so if you are interested give me a call at 509-292-0326. 

That’s it for this month.  Pray for just the right amount of rain (we don’t want to end up like Los Angeles.)