Bee news from Bellingen

John Hodgkinson

This spring is proving to be one of the best bee seasons in the Bellinger Valley for many years. Not since 1984 when a truckload  of my beehives encountered a flood of Pattersons Curse nectar near Cowra NSW, have I witnessed a similar bonanza – but this time it is happening for my sedentary colonies here at the BAA office.

Some good late winter rainfall just at the right times ensured that the trees and shrubs of the town would flower extraordinarily in the spring. And they sure are!

I noticed the queens laying lots of eggs in August, so that under the influence of early flowering wattle and tallowwood (both species pollen-rich/nectar-poor), and their sixth sense of what would come to pass -sunny, warmer-than-normal weather and low humidity – there are now large populations of eager workers to bring in the bounty and turn it into even more progeny and honey.

The gardens of Bellingen, a town of approximately 2000 and not much more than 1km wide in any direction, are in full flower at present. My hives are located just to the east of all this, so are gathering pollen and nectar right across the urban area. The nectar is almost dripping off many species, especially the bottlebrushes.

A week ago I placed a super of empty frames on one of the hives, only to discover yesterday that it was almost full of honey – too heavy for lifting without removing some frames. This was all the more marked because I had taken two frames of brood and many bees from it to make up a nucleus colony to raise a queen at my place about 5km away. This is a swarm suppressive tactic, because in such a good season, strong colonies often send out multiple successive swarms, causing much nuisance to local households.

This honey flow is set to go on for a while longer. The banksias, silky oaks and jacarandas are yet to flower, but white clover, grey ironbark, bottlebrushes and privet will go on for a while yet. It’s a thrill to sit and watch the frenzied activity in front of each hive, engaged as they are in peak gathering at present.

There are enough capped honey frames to take some for an early extraction. The first of the season is always such a treat to taste and pass around…with due reverence of course. 

Bless the bees.