Dearth is on and Quite a few people have lost bees for not heading the warnings of this crazy weather we have had starting back in the winter of 2019. We had too many warmer than normal days in the winter of 2019 which allowed the Honey Bees to consume an even greater amount of their winter stores.
I tried to warn people to be ready to feed or starve the bees come February and March.
Then we had an excessively rainy spring, so I warned many to be aware that this creates prime swarm conditions!
With all the rain a lot of people girls did not get enough flight time due to this crazy weather to create enough stores, so they started seeing robbing conditions earlier and quite a few colonies were lost.
Now we are in a Dry period where not much is being produced in the way of a Nectar source for the girls.
The following is for Region 11
USDA code
|
Family
|
Latin Name
|
Common Name
|
Plant Type
|
Begin Bloom Month
|
End Bloom Month
|
Sig
|
GLYCI
|
Fabaceae
|
Glycine
|
Soybean, soja bean
|
C
|
7
|
10
|
N
|
AMBRO
|
Asteraceae
|
Ambrosia
|
Ragweed
|
F
|
7
|
10
|
N
|
SOLID
|
Asteraceae
|
Solidago
|
Goldenrod
|
F
|
7
|
11
|
Y
|
VERBE2
|
Asteraceae
|
Verbesina
|
Crown-beard
|
F
|
8
|
10
|
N
|
Plant Type codes:
|
Sig column
|
T - tree
TDB - tree, deciduous broadleaf
TEN - tree, evergreen needleleaf
TEB - tree, evergreen broadleaf
S - shrub
SEB - shrub, evergreen broadleaf
SDB - shrub, deciduous broadleaf
V - vine
VDB - vine, deciduous broadleaf
G - grass
F - forb (herbaceous flowering plants, non-woody)
C - crops/cultivated
|
This column indicates whether or not the species is considered a very important nectar source species within the state and region selected. If it is a significant source, it is indicated here with a 'Y' and the row is highlighted.
In this context, important is defined by Ayers and Harman as those species that "reliably produce a large percent of the harvested honey" within the selected region.
|
You can see more @ Honey Bee Forage within Region 11 for the State of Tennessee
If you have not checked on the girls in a while you need to look at the ones that are gone and clean out all the WAX MOTH web, Cocoon, Larvae and Debris!
I have seen NO Small Hive Beetles in any of my hives again this year!
Direct SUNLIGHT setting under a 500,000 volt and a 161,000 Volt TVA Power-Line!
You need to be checking for and treating for Varroa Mites but do not forget to treat for tracheal Mites as well!
Tracheal Mite will kill more Honey Bee Colonies during the WINTER months than Varroa will!
You may lose more to Varroa Leading up to the Winter months, but they will Freeze to death from a Tracheal Mite infestation!
Read more on Tracheal Mites @. Tracheal Mites in Tennessee
