Old Speckled Hen Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 I'm still waiting for my first bees at the end of this month and looking forward to a lifelong ambition BUT this weather is really making me feel really despondent. It has been so cold ( last night,minus five at Shap 13miles away) and I look at all the bee forage as it comes and, more importantly, goes and see only the odd bumble. It was like this last year and not much better the year before. All this talk of swarms and supers ...sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaches Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 OSH - absolutely freezing here. I had the hot water bottle with me in bed last night! We're in North North Yorkshire, on top of a hill, so it gets very chilly quickly, plus had a frost last night - had to break up the ice on the bird bath this morning. Very fed up with the cold - just want to sit in the garden and not shiver! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 Ha ha! Beat you, we had a titchy bit of snow this morning . Can someone sort the weather out for me, please? It's the one thing you can do nothing about really. Don't despair, you'll get your bees and will wonder why you waited so many years before starting out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted May 12, 2010 Author Share Posted May 12, 2010 We're in North North Yorkshire, on top of a hill, so it gets very chilly quickly, plus had a frost last night - had to break up the ice on the bird bath this morning. I remember walking through Richmond when I did the Coast to Coast in the middle 2 weeks of May 4 years ago. Absolutely soaked through; had to buy a new waterproof and had curry and a pint for lunch. It rained every day of the 12 days it took me to get to Robin Hood's Bay AND we were camping................... mad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kermit Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 Sorry, you don't beat Fi - we had snow on Monday morning... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheChookKeeper Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 I am in Kent, and we've had very annoying weather - not as upsetting as the rest of you though We have maybe a few hours of absolutely glorious sunshine (still quite chilly, and with a wind - but lovely and sunny), and then about 2 hours later, it pours hard with rain! My poor bees don't know WHAT'S going on! They do take advantage of the slightest bit of sun though - it only has to be sunny for an hour or so, and they're all out bringing oodles of pollen back! Don't worry everyone - I'm sure the sun will make it up to you all soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 Well we have sun in moderation and the odd bit of rain but really its dry - but my goodness its cold. My garden is open onto rolling land at the back, across which the East wind whistles! I'm sure its not as cold as you are having further North, and fortunately I am noticing that as soon as the sun comes out oodles of bees start to fly, regardless of the temperature because they are building up their colony. My worry is that the first flush of blossom/willow pollen etc etc is over, but we don't seem to have much else following on. The usual May garden flowers are slow but luckily neighbours big old trees like horse chestnuts have their candles lit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaches Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 Our bees are very unlikely to starve given the number of dandelions in our garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaches Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 Actually, Daphne, beekeepers do talk about the June drop quite a bit - when there's a gap in flowering. I am hoping that dandelions should plug the gap. Today I'm actually drinking bovrill for lunch as it's so cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheChookKeeper Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 Today I'm actually drinking bovrill for lunch as it's so cold. Don't mean to rub your nose in it (honest!) - but we are having a very nice day here today - lots of sun, no rain (yet!), and not too much wind... I assume my bees will be loving it - unfortunatley, I'm stuck in a grotty office, so can't go and take a look at them. I can almost guarantee that as soon as I get some time to go and open them up at the weekend, it will pour hard with rain, and drop to about -5 degrees! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted May 14, 2010 Author Share Posted May 14, 2010 Had a walk round Grasmere from Rydal via Alcock tarn. Drizzly and cold but there were still some bumbles on the bilberry flowers. Hardy little blighters. Peaches, there is not just a June drop-off here but a June Gap. Nothing for the bees to forage on bar garden flowers. My mentor usually does a Bailey exchange in June and feeds feeds feeds. PS dandelions are said to release their nectar after rain ............. so we should be OK here provided there is a dry window. I have never seen so many dandelions as I have this year. The fields and verges are yellow with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
