Dear Beekeepers,
    Hi!  It was looking pretty dismal for the bees what with all the rain and cold weather in the Northeast lately, with dandelions (Taraxacum officinale), mustard family (Cruciferae), and Tartarian honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) washouts.  Then I heard of some swarms, and I got more optimistic, as swarms usually go out just before the honeyflow!
    Now things have turned around and there is a nice Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust) flow on in some areas.  I measured a 6.8 kg. (15 pound) gain for June 5+6.  This is typical for a good locust flow in my area, but it's been years since we had one!  Also helping out is glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula), an introduced species from Europe with tiny, creamy flowers that blooms for about 3 months, but is most heavily worked in late-May and early-June.  Often the daily gains increase as raspberries (Rubus spp.) kick in.  Blackberries (Rubus spp.) are just starting, according to my pollen traps.  Yesterday I noticed that staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) is budding up nicely, as is basswood (Tilia americana).
    It looks like the good weather will allow the bees good foraging for a good stretch, which will push them up into the supers.  Until a couple of days ago, only one or two of my 2-queen colonies had stored any honey of note in the supers.  Pollen production is on the increase, and it is very tasty this time of year.  Mites are also being trapped with the pollen, and are frozen daily with the pollen!
    Brood nests are expanding again after shrinking a bit during the poor weather.  You have probably heard of streaming audio and video.  Reverse your hives and you will see streaming brood!  If you know what this means, you are becoming a beekeeper!  The Russian queens I've installed this year are taking well and laying out with nice patterns.  This is very different from the last few years queens.  They must be doing something right in California!
    If you have bees now, I would like to know how they are doing in your area.
Keep on beeing,
Charles Frederic Andros
Linden Apiaries since 1973
Former NH/VT Apiary Inspector '78-'89
18 McLean Road
POB 165
Walpole, NH 03608-0165
603-756-9056
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Residence: Latitude 43° 04' 53" North, Longitude 72° 21' 13" West, Elevation 363 meters 
Keeper of 43 two-queen colonies for unheated honey, fresh-frozen pollen, propolis tincture, Bee Complex facial, pollination, nuclei, beeswax, candles, apitherapy, workshops, and supplies
"Learn, experiment, innovate, educate!"