We put out 600 strong looking mating nucs yesterday and put cells in them this morning. We had to tuck the cells down because of the cool weather and expect it to hang around for another 24 hours before things warm up again. Tomorrow, we’ll be out at Lake Panasoffkee making mating nucs. Those will stay out in that general area and there are some large neighboring bee yards nearby. Lord only knows where all the drones are going to come from, and we’ve been relying on Him even more than usual this spring. We’re between a rock and a hard place with schedules that other people expect us to keep and bees that are reluctant to recognize the same calendar we work on.
The maple flow is real strong and we’re seeing quite a bit of willow pollen also. Bees that can reach these are out working early on these cool mornings as soon as the sun shine warms the entrance enough to entice the early bees out. The overall general condition of the bees is very good. They’re retaining their feed and in some cases it looks like they might even be finding some nectar sources of their own, so we’re trying to remain positive.
With so many beekeepers now sending their bees to California, and those being the best and strongest colonies they have, and in some cases we’re told ALL of their colonies patched together to fill contractual obligations, it doesn’t leave many bees behind here in Florida that historically would have made up a robust and diversified drone gene pool. This is another case of unintended consequences as our industry changes.
I’m really concerned for beekeepers who were not in their hives a month ago and recognized as we did the serious lack of brood and pollen. If they are only now discovering how far behind their brood nest had fallen, they may have a very difficult time building bees strong enough for a citrus honey flow or any splits they were planning to make this winter. On the brighter side though, bees are very resilient and adaptable and always seem to end up where they need to be in time for the honey flow if we don’t get in the way too much. To paraphrase the Bible, the bee’s ways are not always man’s ways.
