Starting to get Frustrated

[tbonekel]

Okay, everybody needs to tell me it's okay. I'm kind of getting a little nervous about my hives. Here we are almost at the end of April and I have seen stuff blooming everywhere but for some reason, my bees don't seem to be that interested in bringing home the bacon. I put about 3 quarts of syrup on each of two hive two days ago. I checked today and the feeders are dry. I know they were hungry. Queens are still laying and everything else seems in order. It's just slooooow. Another hive has about a bazillion drones. I know that I don't have a drone laying queen, because she still seems to be filling out some frames with some impressive patterns of worker brood. What makes it harder is some of you in zones to my north are starting to add supers. I really hope something happens pretty soon.

[LazyBkpr]

If you had ONE hive that was not gathering I would think there was a problem, if none are then it means the flow is not good.  Patience is a hard and often unforgiving virtue.

   Set out an open feeder and see how fast they find it. That will tell you right away if they are foraging.

[Jen]

Yah! What Lazy said! That would help you with a visual as well ~

[blueblood]

It's gonna be okay. 

[Jen]

Ooooooooooooooooooom 

[apisbees]

Bees are very good at finding plants with the higher sugar content, plants that give off the greatest amount of nectar, as well as the distance and time and energy it takes to gather the nectar. The bees know which is the most economical to collect and will result in the largest gain in honey in the hive.
How is the spring weather been in your area of Texas. Drought conditions will effect a plants nectar producing abilitys. The plants can look healthy the flowers are out but the plant is in a drought survival mode and is not secreting much nectar. As a plant is starved of moisture, it will stop providing moister to the fruits or seeds that the plant is growing. The plant will also cease nectar secretion to the flowers. Once the plants have shut down and have entered in to drought protection it is near impossible regardless of the moisture applied after the fact to get the plants to secret nectar again.
Pests and disease can also effect the plants ability to produce nectar as well.
Not that I think it is a problem in your area but frost will also kill a nectar flow.
Good points from LazyBkpr if it is effecting all the hives it is more likely environmental than a problem with the bees.
Also keep in mind that some of the posts on supers being added are in preparation for the flow they are hoping to gather. Some years this extra space stays on all season and comes off as empty as it went on.

[Jen]

Sounds like California... So many towns are water rationing already 

[LazyBkpr]

It is also the greatest time for brood rearing. If the flow is only marginal they are likely feeding as fast as they bring it in. As long as they are not storing the syrup in the brood nest let them feed. They will catch up.

[tbonekel]

Drought conditions will effect a plants nectar producing abilitys. The plants can look healthy the flowers are out but the plant is in a drought survival mode and is not secreting much nectar. As a plant is starved of moisture, it will stop providing moister to the fruits or seeds that the plant is growing. The plant will also cease nectar secretion to the flowers. Once the plants have shut down and have entered in to drought protection it is near impossible regardless of the moisture applied after the fact to get the plants to secret nectar again.

That may be a big factor. In my area, we are on a line between severe drought and normal. While things are green and blooming right now, the last 12 to 18 months have been less than average rainfall. I need to contact some other beeks in my area and see how they are doing. I have not done that yet.

It is also the greatest time for brood rearing. If the flow is only marginal they are likely feeding as fast as they bring it in. As long as they are not storing the syrup in the brood nest let them feed. They will catch up.

Another good point lazy. It may be that they are just trying to keep up. I feel a little better now. I just hope I don't have to keep feeding through the prime forage times. Dearth usually starts around here mid to late June.

[Perry]

Some great points already mentioned. Like Apis said, I too was fooled a couple years ago. Goldenrod was in full bloom everywhere. I was working where there was irrigation going on and the bees were all over it. What I failed to notice was that everywhere else, the bees were not on the goldenrod because it was so dry it wasn't producing any nectar.

[Jen]

Bummer Perry ~ reading these observations from others is training me to be more observant with the environment around our area.