Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
entirely and needs to be addressed as an emergency rather than a seasonal change. If
food stores are all used, feeding may be necessary.
By late summer, fall-blooming-plants kick in, and often there is another short but in-
tense collection time. The duration of this collection time, called the
fall flow
, may last
for a month or a bit longer, depending on how soon rainy weather and early frosts set
in. It's an unpredictable time.
By late November, everywhere north of the equator, most plants have finished
flowering, and the colony begins its slow time. Where winter is extreme, the bees
cluster in the colony, work to keep warm using metabolic heat generated by vibrating
their wing muscles and living on the honey and pollen stored during the past season.
There may be extended periods when the bees can't break cluster because of extreme
cold. The occasional warm day enables them to move around inside the hive to get close
to stored food and to take cleansing flights.
In warm regions, temperature extremes don't exist or don't last very long, and the
bees can generally move and fly most of the time, though there may be little or no for-
age available in winter.
In some areas, such as the American Southwest, the bounty of spring depends to a
great extent on winter rains. Early spring plants respond with exceptional flowering and
lots of nectar and pollen to harvest. After that, the heat of summer dries up most nec-
tar sources. Late summer rain may bring on a fall flow that holds the colony over until
a spring flow begins again. Of course, in all regions agricultural crops can break the
rules of nature. Irrigation allows plants to bloom when and where none would normally,
providing nectar and pollen sources when they would normally not exist.
As stated, this is a generalized overview—the big picture—of the seasonal cycle of a
colony. Plus, we've looked at how a honey bee colony responds to the world, and we've
even looked at the individuals in the colony—workers, drones, and the queen—and
have a good feel for what to expect from each of them. We need only one more piece of
the puzzle—you.
There is so much to wonder at when working with bees that honey and beeswax are,
and should be, only one of the rewards.
Winter Cluster
In the winter, honey bees require protection from the cold temperature and wind.
During summer, they work to seal all the cracks in the hive so the interior is rel-
atively windless. Beekeeper-provided wind breaks (evergreens or fences) help as
well. Inside, the bees do the rest.
