Foundation drawn out, 5 1/2 days

[toddbalsiger]

This is a response to the "girls wont draw out western foundation" beyond June discussion. FYI, I put 10 frames of western foundation on a single deep last Monday afternoon, and this Saturday afternoon all but 3 frames where completely drawn out. They had essentially 5 work days (four complete days, two afternoons) from July 19 - July 24. The location is between Sandy and Eagle Creek, OR.

Previously, it was postulated that bees cannot draw foundation at this time of year unless near a large agriculture crop, and are only able to put the wax cappings on the honey cells. I tested this hypothesis in my location and proved it wrong.

I think my success and others' failure is that my bees needed and wanted extra space, and in my area there is still a flow going. This was a single deep nuc from this year, completely out of space, and they created more space in a hurry. I'm sure that if you created this arrangement in your hives, they'd draw out foundation fine (unless your floral sources are truly gone).

[HarryVanderpool]

Postulation: To assume the truth or reality of, with no proof.
Sorry brother; wrong use of the word.
Honey flows, nectar sourses, average honey crops etc are well documented over and over ad nauseum throughout the ages in Oregon.
Honeybees draw wax in fairly predictable circumstances related to colony profile, certain impulses, but for sure when the resourses are available to fuel the effort.
Thank you for supporting my original post however, in which I suggested that he drop to a single, and inquired about colony profile also.
We could rely on your single incident that you stated and postulate that late July is prime-time for comb building.
Your bees didn't pull the nectar out of thin air.
Rather your experience only "proved" that late flows can be regional and sporatic.

[Todd Balsiger]

Well, it was a good excercise anyway. At least in my area, it gives me a better understanding for the range of the honey season.

I've heard statements, say from Bill Ruhl senior, that the honey season ends by the 4th of July". That's not true for my area. In my area, it ends when meds need to be put in... early to mid August.

I'm not advocating for people to have lots of supers on at this time of year.

On another subject, something I will doing next week, when you take your honey off and do your meds, par your hives down to winter configuration. For me this is a western and a deep. Don't give them extra room; force them into their winter configuration. Ultimately, in late fall going into winter, I want the deep on top.

[HarryVanderpool]

Liz and I visited Kenny and Heike Williams on Saturday and he reported a continued flow in one of his yards as well. They had inspected some hives and pulled a few frames here and there that were capped. They went back a few days later and they were full again!
He wished that he had dropped another super on.
My homesite is a nectar desert right now.
All of my remaining bees are in carrots.
We'll see what that flow amounts to.

[Todd Balsiger]

Like Kenny, I wished I could have dropped some more supers on my hives (I simply didn't have them). Yet I'm conforted that the bees are packing it in -- hopefully I wont have to feed much.

Most of my hives have two western supers. I took honey off once already in early June, averaging probably less than a super per hive.

[drew]

Funny thing about the honey flow and area.
The bees at our house, rural Newberg area, have been mostly done since the blackberries where done.

BUT at my uncles house who lives in Hillsboro never started until about 2 weeks ago and filled a super corner to corner capped. This is the picture perfect super makes me jealous. To bad I didn't give them more credit and had an extra super on there a week ago.

Funny thing also I was thinking the honey from in town would be on the dark side cause of all the garden type flowers. BUT it is quite lite in color. Who knows what mix that honey is from.

[HarryVanderpool]

Around Salem, we have a bumper crop of Queen Anns Lace, or wild Carrot.
If this doesn't ring a bell, watch on your way to work tomorrow for a high weed with a white circular crown blossom that is EVERYWHERE!
This will spoil a great batch of honey in short order.
Many Willamette Valley Beekeepers have had their greed tamed by this plant, including myself.
It is not a prefered nectar source with the bees.
If you are in an area with a strong late flow that you can identify and confirm, great!
But otherwise beware of the spoiler; the tamer of late honey greed: Queen Anns Lace.
Pull your supers soon!
One lesson will be enough.