Forest Flowers Most people now know that bees do not produce honey all year round. In speaking with customers, they seem mostly to believe that there is little or no production in the dry season since everything is so dry and desolate as opposed to the lush conditions of the rainy season. This is indeed counterintuitive. If we pause for a moment and consider that in an hour a bee visits some 3,000 flowers, and that there are approximately 40,000 bees in a bee colony, we get some idea of the number of flowers which have to be present for a honey flow to take place. Look to the forested areas during the dry season and you will observe the forest trees in full bloom. Incidentally, a honey flow occurs when nectar sources are in bloom and the weather is favourable for the bees to fly and collect nectar in abundance. In Trinidad, the flow begins at the end of the rainy season (usually in December) when the vines flower, soap vine and cujoe vine for example. Then comes the great trees of the tropical forest. In January, we begin to see the white flowers of the Cypre moving slowly along the northern range from west to east followed by the two species of Immortelle. Also flowering at this time is the Cashew from January to March and in March comes Rubber, Coffee and Pink Poui followed by Yellow Poui. March to April brings the huge Olivier trees into bloom along with Olivier tree in bloom Jiggerwood, which occurs mostly in the Central Range. These are followed by Hog Plum, Citrus, Caimet, Serette, Balata, Bloodwood, Savonette and the best of them all Mora. Beekeepers wait in hope for Mora to flower since she is quite temperamental but produces a beautiful nectar from which the bees produce an outstanding honey. It is also the last opportunity for a honey flow before the dearth which occurs during the rainy season. … Gordon Deane
Bee Fact!
What our beekeeper has been up to
Bees have X-ray vision Did you know that bees don’t see the world like you and me? Bees can see some solid colours, and differentiate between light and dark colours but they also see colours in the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum. Hence, some plant species have evolved UV markings on their petals which serve as bullseyes or act like the landing strips on airport runways, leading bees to their nectaries.
… Dr. Jo-Anne Sewlal
Newly built nucleus boxes specially built to create new colonies as part of our rebuilding exercise!