Glossary
A period of abundant nectar availability when large numbers of plants are in bloom simultaneously. During a nectar flow, bees forage intensively, honey production surges, and beekeepers add supers to accommodate the incoming surplus.
A nectar flow is the beekeeper's harvest season. It occurs when major nectar-producing plants in the area bloom simultaneously, providing such an abundance of nectar that the colony can produce honey far beyond its daily consumption needs. During a strong flow, a colony can gain 5 to 10 pounds per day or more in stored honey.
In our part of Florida, major nectar flows coincide with specific bloom periods: citrus in early spring, saw palmetto in summer, and Brazilian pepper in late fall. Between these flows, there are periods of relative scarcity called nectar dearths, when bees consume stored honey to sustain themselves.
The hive transforms during a nectar flow. Foragers make more trips per day, returning with fully loaded honey stomachs. House bees work around the clock processing nectar: receiving it from foragers, spreading it across comb, fanning to reduce moisture content, and capping ripe honey. The hive buzzes with a distinctly different energy than during slow periods, and a strong colony may need additional supers every week to keep up with incoming nectar.
The queen's laying rate often peaks during a flow because the abundance of incoming resources signals the colony to grow. More bees means more foragers in the weeks ahead, which means even more honey production. The entire colony ramps up to take maximum advantage of the temporary abundance.
Experienced beekeepers prepare for nectar flows well in advance. Colonies need to be at peak population when the flow begins, which means managing them (feeding if necessary, treating for mites, ensuring healthy queens) in the weeks before the expected bloom. Having empty supers ready and adding them as soon as the flow begins prevents the colony from becoming honey-bound, a condition where every available cell is filled with nectar and the queen has no room to lay eggs.
It depends on the plant species and weather conditions. A single nectar flow can last 2 to 6 weeks. Some beekeeping regions have one major flow per year, while others, like Florida, may have multiple distinct flows from different plant species across different seasons.
Signs include bees flying in and out of the hive in high volume, white wax on the edges of comb (new construction), a noticeable weight gain in the hive, and freshly drawn comb in supers. Bees also tend to be calmer and less defensive during a flow because they are busy working, not guarding.
A nectar dearth is the opposite of a flow: a period when few or no plants are producing nectar. During a dearth, bees consume stored honey, colony mood becomes more defensive, and robbing behavior between hives increases. Beekeepers may need to feed sugar syrup during extended dearths.
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