Heavy nectar flow with Hive Depletion

I took this extract:


from :slight_smile:http://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&context=bulletins3

Find it hard to understand that the colony would be reduced in times of high nectar flow.
Do the queens not lay eggs? or are so many bees foraging there is no one to tend young?
Very curious.

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Hi Wilfred, yeah, I’ve read that apparently good pollen supplies and a light nectar flow can contribute to the swarming impulse because of large amounts of brood rearing at such times. You get such conditions quite a bit in urban settings as I understand it. So I’m guessing it is an issue of workload all around for the bees in a heavy flow…gathering, drying, moving nectar and honey etc. etc. Wow 220kgs per hive!

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Hi Busso, one thing my early mentor told me was that a hive’s population can drop during a honey flow. I guess for one reason being that the flowers are producing not much pollen.

I have been saying for a while now that the bees sole reason for existing is for the next generation. They burn themselves out after only a few weeks for the next generation, when in fact they could live for up to 12 months.

This is a classic example of bees working themselves to death to cater for the next generation.

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I can relate. No honey here, just a pack of giant teenagers…:laughing:

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