When there isn’t any nectar available, do you still see as many foragers leaving the hive?
I am fortunate and have lots of clover and birdsfoot trefoil blooming in my pastures so the bees are bringing in a lot of nectar right now. 1 out of 5-10 returning bees is loaded with pollen. I am hoping the full season soybeans provide some nectar in a few weeks.
Yes, if the weather is good. They don’t give up hope. 
Even though there is no nectar, they are still out collecting pollen, propolis and water for the hive where they can…
Any nectar to be collected from Soy? I was given a jar of buckwheat honey the other week, oh my god! … this stuff is strong and yeasty… think I’ll use it to make a braggot or mead to take the pong out.
intrigued, what is a braggot?
Braggot is a form of mead made with both honey and barley malt. It typically uses 1/3 or more malt and may have as much as 50% malt.
Basically a Honey Beer
Thanks, sounds yum 
My understanding is full season soybeans can make honey while short season does not. I have also heard it is hit or miss even with full season beans.
Joe
Rod,
Yah ! Buckwheat is pretty hefty n bold favor ! None of my family will take any so that jar of dark honey is ALL mine … It has a strong almost molasses twang ! Yummy ! I’m almost out so need to purchase another quart for just Me Honey ! 
…
Mine have been super busy through the hot summer dearth…In our area we have one more nectar flow in the fall so I am counting on mine getting their surplus store built up then. Right now they are drawing comb in the mediums. Funny but a few excess workers have been sealing the gaps in the flow frames so I left them on for that reason as it does not seem to be taking away from their winter prep. Who knows…the fall necter low may be amazing and I still might get a tiny bit of honey but not counting on it. Here in Alabama I am told they need one deep and one medium…we have had mild winters and summers the past three years but based on this very hot summer I anticipate a really cold winter this year…
South central PA seems like the flow is over but mine are bringing in some nice honey. I think it is the clover and birdsfoot in my pastures because nothing else is blooming that I can see. I have a hay field that is full of clover and birdsfoot that should bloom in a few weeks plus some full season soybeans.
Exhibit A
I am not holding my breath but I think I have a chance of getting some honey this year now that the 2 brood boxes are mostly full and nectar seems to be flowing into the hive. I put the honey flows on this weekend. Bees are exploring it already but too soon to see anything.
As to my original question, Sounds like the bees forage heavy whether there is something to bring back or not. Right now they all come out and head the same direction (my pasture) but I am guessing if there is no nectar flow the direction they go is more random?
Hi Pluto,
I’m over here in the Pacific NW in the foothills 20 plus miles SE of Seattle. Our Spring n now Summer have been off/on weather wise. Last week several degrees below the normals n damp. Our main wild blackberry flow is about DONE. 
. The stores in the hives are okay here …, We have fire weeds, clover, n a lot of weeds kicking in over here.
. We have one fair fall flow of golden rod, other weeds. Plus we have a large season flow of English Ivy I am told. Local beeks tell me you don’t want that in your Flow as it easily crystalizes. 
this summer I’ve decided to wait n not use the Flow-Super even if it’s tempting. I’ve added one shallow honey super with partly drawn wax frames some gave me … I put them in the freezer for a week so should be bug frees.
So that’s what’s happening up n over here,
Gerald 
