Hi Jack. I had some sugar crystals visible in the end cells for weeks, just like in your pic, and the bees cleaned them out just today. It looks so clean that I started worrying, but the frame visible from the side is brimming with honey partially capped.
I think they only clean the cells out when they are going to need them. I have a very local and unexpected nectar flow on due to my Hawaiian ti plant plantation flowering. Honey smells surrounding the hives like I never smelled before that strongly.
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I think I remember hearing somewhere that around Byron you tend to get winter honey? Iāve left that frame to drain overnight to get every last drop out 
almost 3 inches in the bucket at sunset. Iāll drain another frame tomorrow if it warm again
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We do get a bit of nectar income up in the hills, but itās not much, it has been just leveling out. The Carnies gained, the Italians leveled. I think down where Cedar is they get tea tree and banksia. Down near the beaches.
Elevation here for my bees is 300 to 400m, there is no naturally occurring banksia. I planted a few for the future.
Living next to the National Park, Iām waiting for the various gums to bloom. Nil experience with that yet.
Iāve seen lots of mobile hives in our National Park in previous years, so I think some special flowering happens once in a while.
What is the main gum tree in your National Park? Gums are odd with their flowering - depending on type etc.
Hi Dan. Itās the Mt Jerusalem National Park. I know we have black butt, flooded gum and ironbark, mahogany and wattle and cedar. There is a lot more that I donāt know, shrubs and bushes. Some types of leptospermum too and some sort of pine. Also plenty palms where it gets rainforesty. I only got interested in identifying the trees recently and donāt know my way around them yet. Trying to learn.
Some wattles have flowered recently and the bees were in pollen heaven.
On our adjacent land we have planted trees like golden penda, banksias and various fruit trees. And herb gardens.
Yes, I heard the gums flower erratically. You must have some of those down your way.
HI Guys, Did a quick browse of your AFB Document, Picture 3 is upside down the tongue attaches to the top of the cell. The information about irradiation is incorrect, treating AFB in Australia with antibiotics is prohibited relevant section of the biosecurity act see below:
American foulbrood (AFB) is the most significant bee disease already present in Australia and it can
have a devastating impact on individual apiaries. If AFB is detected, a beekeeper is required to
take action to bee-proof the infected hive(s) and to destroy or sterilise the hive(s) as soon as
practicable. Elimination of AFB is part of good beekeeping and no compensation will be payable to
the beekeeper for hives destroyed due to AFB infection unless an industry-funded compensation
scheme is in effect in that state or territory. Because antibiotics do not kill AFB spores but may
mask the symptoms of the disease, their use to control AFB is prohibited.
The Tasmanian Foulbrood Best Management Practice Guideline takes precedence over this section
for apiaries located in Tasmania.
7 If a beekeeper elects to sterilise an infected hive it must be either:
(a) Subjected to gamma irradiation at a minimum radiation dose of 10 kiloGray, or
(b) dipped for a minimum of 10 minutes in hot wax held at a minimum temperature of
150o
C. Complete records of the process including observed temperatures of the wax
at the start and end of each dipping must be maintained, or
Ā© treated by another method approved by the relevant state or territory authority.
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Yes- there is a document somewhere which tells of the time between flowering for various gums. Canāt find it immediately but I know stringy bark here is good every 6 or 7 years.
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Glad to see hot wax dipping as an option. I have my own dipper should I ever need it.
Thank you for providing this feedback regarding our online pest resource for AFB. AFB is a devastating condition and we absolutely agree that guidance must be obtained from your local authority if you discover your colony has contracted this brood disease, to ensure that you follow specific eradication guidelines.
In Australia, irradiation or incineration are the only options available and the use of antibiotics is prohibited. However as a company who provide information for customers on a global scale we need to offer advice and have to keep in mind that regulations will differ from region to region. Instructional content we provide is intended as a general guide only and may not be applicable to your specific circumstances.
The following information is included at the bottom of our AFB fact sheet:
Beekeeping requires specialist skills, carries inherent dangers, and is often subject to regulation. Instructional content we provide is intended as a general guide only and may not be applicable to your specific circumstances. If in doubt, seek assistance from your local authority, a professional beekeeping service or your nearest beekeeping association.
Thank you again for pointing out this important issue we really appreciate the knowledge of our beekeeping community. We will incorporate your feedback and modify this resource.
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@KieranPI āIn Australia, irradiation or incineration are the only options available and the use of antibiotics is prohibitedā.
Hi Kieran, just remember that Tasmania has different rules to the North Island.
Thanks.
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I am not totally sure- but from what I understand- in some states at least hot wax dipping is also an option for wooden hive parts. Obviously it has to be documented- and done right.
Certainly, it may differ from state to state, and even some local councils will have different rulings on beekeeping requirements. Always best to check, local councils usually have a website which you can search and find specifics on keeping bees.
Anyhow, trying to get back on topic.
Completed out 1st major inspection today for what I deem to be the start of spring. According to Mr Google todays day length increased by 1 minute and keeps increasing until the December solstice. This increasing day length will surely change the bees behaviour.
Observations from the inspection:
No evidence of queen cells being started
Healthy bee population. Crowded on middle frames in brood box and in the super but quickly dispersing towards the outside frames.
4 frames of capped brood with young larva visible
Did not notice the queen (not unusual)
No SHB observed
Moved adjoining honey frames way from the brood and replaced them with drawn comb frames.
At present there is a lot of pollen coming in but I suspect not a lot of nectar.
Is it true that we wonāt see a dramatic bee population increase until more nectar is available?
Planning for the next full inspection in a fortnight.
Alan
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can we link/combine AFB responses here to āWhat do I do if I find AFB in my hiveā, perhaps?
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Hi Kieran,
Your welcome, I realise you are providing information for customers on a global scale and that it is difficult to structure a brochure covering all the different options, but it is extremely important to be providing correct information. Steritech in Australia have some good information online about irradiation of beekeeping gear (wooden boxes etc) and there are possibly some legal implications for your company in relation to the Biosecurity Act which applies to your company as it is operating in Australia. The brochure was a great idea just needs a few tweaks, hence my post.
Kind regards
Corinne Jordan
LogoThe Bee Lady Apiaries
146 Fischer Road
Carbrook, QLD 4130
0400 833 017
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@felmo. Where did you hear that after the pollen surge, if nectar comes in, the population increases dramatically?
Wonder if it depends on how much honey they have stored?
No idea, I have the same questions as you, particularly as my bees are getting a lot of nectar from a plantation I started many years ago (Hawaiian ti plant). Actually, the native bees even outnumber my bees on the millions of tiny ti flowers. Another week or so and that nectar flow will be over.
There doesnāt seem to be much nectar otherwise. Just today I noticed though that the bees bring in at least 5 different colours of pollen, but the nectar prevails. Something is changing.
I guess we have to check on the broodbox more often from now to determine if action is needed.
This is my first bee spring too.
My local mentor tells me that our bees need about 2 full frames of pollen going into winter, so that they are ready to expand once the nectar flow starts in early spring. So I guess he is on the same page as this post. 
Fortunately my bees look like pollen experts. I would guess at least 3 frames right now. I will keep an eye on them in late winter/early spring. If the queen looks short of brood space, I will probably remove a frame of pollen and freeze it for later use. We tend to get pollen gaps during the late spring.
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Today for the first time I see winter honey going into my flow framesš There some type of flow on somewhere and the bees are onto itš
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All sorts of flowering trees out at the moment here. This is a rather poor photo of a flowering almond. Anyhow, you get the idea.
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Jack , how did you go with your autumn spilt? I am currently in WA with my last hive inspection last weekend, the hive was pretty quiet. My split worked, but not a lot of growth in numbers of bees in the new hive - I hope spring brings on a growth spurt as I need to split again to fill up the horizontal hive (Queen each side)
cheers
Jeff