Forage and Flow
At our April meeting, we welcomed Dr. Anthony Snider, who introduced the concept of beekeeping as open range agriculture. His presentation highlighted 21 different plants and trees that support our bees’ nutritional needs throughout the year.
From early winter blooms like “Sweet Breath of Spring” (Lonicera fragrantissima) to the red maple (Acer rubrum) showing up in pollen baskets in early spring, Dr. Snider walked us through the seasonal progression of forage sources. He also pointed out two plants to watch out for—Carolina yellow jessamine and ti ti—both of which can be harmful to our bees.
Dr. Snider also discussed how drought conditions can impact nectar flow, leading to less honey production and smaller colonies heading into winter. As temperatures rise, he reminded us to keep an eye on water sources near our hives.
To wrap up the evening, we held a raffle for a 5-frame nuc beehive—congratulations to our winner, De Murphy!
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