Pear tree blooming in late September

[Bamabww]

We've had a cool spell with the over night temps falling into the 50's but the day time highs get back into the mid 80's. I noticed that one of my pear trees has started blooming again, very late for us, with a frost probable within the next 3 or 4 weeks.  Never seen it before in Alabama. Also included a shot of hives in the morning fog.

[Jen]

Nice! Now will this tree produce nectar?

[Dunkel]

I have had that happen to a few apple trees.  This was after they were stressed by Japanese Beetles during mid summer.  Had it been stressed by anything this year?

[Bamabww]

  Had it been stressed by anything this year?

A severe drought of 6 weeks and part of that mid 90's temps. But everything else did as well, including other pear trees. I don't know.

Nice! Now will this tree produce nectar?

Probably if the drought ends and frost waits a little longer than normal. But I don't know for sure.

[lazy shooter]

My neighbor, down the road about one-quarter mile, has some pear trees.  My bees loved them earlier in the year.  Also, my bees worked some Bradford pear trees in town.  These are the ornamental pear trees that have a beautiful spring bloom but produce tiny, unusable pears.  I would believe your bees will work that tree. 

I took my sister-in-law some canning pears, and she cooked up a great pear pie.  It's been a while since I had eaten a pear pie.  Dang, it was good.

No doubt about it, something in its environment tricked your pear tree into blooming this late in the year.

[Bakersdozen]

It will be interesting to watch and see what that tree does in the spring.  Meaning will it bloom again?  Will it start to die?

[riverbee]

enjoyed the pix wayne!

[Jen]

Curious what the structures are there amongst the hives?

[Bamabww]

Curious what the structures are there amongst the hives?
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North wind shields. We usually have cold north / north west winds during the winter and I put them up to help keep the cold wind off the hives.It also helps warm the hive during the day by reflecting the sun on the hive.

Several from my local bee club have told me they are not needed but those exact same bee keepers lose 1/3 of their hives each winter. I've silently kept a record of the losses my club suffers and these 4 guys with anywhere from 10 to 20 hives each lose at least a third of their bees each winter.  I know there are other factors involved but .....

So far, so good for me. Knock on wood etc.

[Jen]

I see, when I am standing around scratching my head on ideas like this I usually end up with "If it's not doing any harm, go for it!" 

[Gypsi]

when we finally got rain in fall 2011 a lot of the bradford pears bloomed, my peaches didn't but my once a year roses did.

If we get a substantial rain before first frost perhaps there will be a fall flow.