2 weeks ago the Hazel/Cobb flower buds formed. Every year it gets earlier and earlier and flowers closer to Christmas and should not be considered a Spring pollen source any longer. Really its the last pollen after Ivy now. There does need to be a rethink about nutrition of colonies, something the glacial movement of the NBU and BBKA are just not understanding. I think 60lbs of stores and pollen subs are a must over Winter and into Spring especially listening to the number of losses I hear from other keepers which I don't experience. Problem is pollen sub is getting very difficult to find these days. Other keepers south of the Tees report pollen clogged frames like Nigel but temps, wind and altitude vary massively in a 10 miles radius of me. We can have weeks of flowers but its too cold and windy for the bees to forage so its important to feed at that time as when it warms up the forage is finished.
British Beekeepers Association Official Forum
Spring pollen
- Environmental issues and concerns that affect beekeeping.
