>
> It actually continued to bring in honey
> after all the flowers were gone from my immediate neighbourhood.
>
I've documented this over several years with my hives (2-3 per location) in
the 'burbs.  I have mite counts and observations on nectar flow, but not
hive weights.  The key word in your statement above is that the bees are
bringing in HONEY, not nectar.  They bring the stuff in and cap it, not
much drying needed.  If you're not getting into your hives frequently at
the time you'll miss it, as you will if you have a larger apiary sharing
the spoils.
You might be able to take samples of the honey and look for off-season
pollen, though the seasonal resolution might not be good enough.   I've
thought of marking my bees and seeing who starts freaking out about colored
bees showing up at heir hives :}
Cheers,
Kristina Williams
Boulder, CO

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