>The temps here have been in the 80ºF ranges for the past two weeks with 
>lows in the 50's and 60's. Has been really dry in the southern part of 
>Alabama but the north part got hit really hard with horrible storms and F4 
>tornadoes. Don't think they need rain at this time.

Those storms were on the news over here.  Certainly glad we never see 
anything like that.

Much of the UK is now in the grip of one of the worst droughts for many 
years, with virtually no rain through March and April.  Temperatures have 
been way above the average for the time of year - into the mid 70s in our 
area.

Bees came out of winter looking very good and built well in the fine weather 
during March which enabled them to collect plenty of pollen.  Then it 
started to go wrong as crops flowered and then went over so quickly - bit 
like watching a speeded up film.  The season is at least 4 weeks ahead of 
what we might consider normal.  Our most important crop, oilseed rape, is 
now going over and most colonies have gathered very little from it; strange 
to see colonies so lethargic while surrounded by a sea of yellow.  Most 
worryingly, there is not much to follow.  We would normally expect field 
beans to be 3-4 feet high as the rape goes over, but the best plants are 
only 6 inches and look likely to die if we do not get rain; they are 
flowering , but the bees are not bothering to work them.

Horsechestnut and hawthorn have been in flower for a while and you might 
assume that trees would be able to find some water.  Perhaps they can - but 
the constant dry NE breeze is probably drying up the nectar and there is 
nothing coming from them either.

Best wishes

Peter
52.194546N, -1.673618W 

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