2-20-97
 
  Southeastern bees are really buzzing these days, as unusually warm weather
has been the order of the day.  With the exception of the third week of
January, there really hasn't been much winter.
 
   Maple bloom came and went in a hurry, at the change of months; perhaps it
lasted 5 days, max.  Two days that week were in the 70's, and one day hit 80
(Farenheit).  After a brief, but modest cooldown, we are back in the 70's
again and that's at the upper end at that.
 
   Pears are in full bloom.  I suspect peaches are starting on early
varieties, though I haven't been in peach country.  Daffydils are blooming
everywhere.
 
    Bees are brooding up rapidly.  There is a lot of pollen coming in,
though, of course, not much nectar.
 
    What concerns me is the tender state of the buds, after all this warm
weather.  We lost a lot of fruit last year in a similar pattern of too much
winter warmth, and temeratures in the mid-teens in mid-March.  And the bees
were set back two to three weeks, with everyone clamoring for packages.
 
    We are going to try to even out the bees ups and downs with a lot of
feeding.  We received a tractor-trailer load of corn syrup yesderday morning.
Yesterday afternoon we had a bunch of happy bees.
 
    Did you ever see bees smile?
 
    I'm smiling too.  Besides the enjoyment of working in a T-shirt, I'm
looking at nice bees, just raring to go.
 
    Gotta' make some more bees smile.  May your flowers be filled with
nectar!
 
    [log in to unmask]    Dave Green,  PO Box 1200,  Hemingway,  SC
29554        (Dave & Jan's Pollination Service,  Pot o'Gold Honey Co.)
 
Pollination for lay people, students, teachers
....Of bees, beekeepers, and food
http://users.aol.com/queenbjan/primbees.htm
 
Pollination for the pros - those involved in doing it:
Practical Pollination Home Page            Dave & Janice Green
http://users.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html
 
Jan's Sweetness and Light         Varietal Honeys and Gift Sets
http://users.aol.com/SweetnessL/sweetlit.htm