"Flow"

[yolanda huang]

What is the definition of "Flow", and is it dependent on plants flowering?  If so, what are the signs that flow is about to happen?  Both in plants and in bees.

Thanks,

Yolanda

[Gerald Przybylski]

There's Flow™ and there's flow = nectar-flow. 
The former are a product set from Australia. 
The latter depends on the locality, the neighborhood, the climate, the distribution of nectar sources. 
I assume you're asking about the latter. 
The east bay nectar flow begins around the beginning of February plus/minus a week or two. 
How it builds up depends on the current weather, and the rain history over the preceding couple of months,
and it tapers off in May, June, or July depending on the rain and temperature history starting the preceding December. 
In some areas, there are multiple flows and dearths in between them.  
Trees turn on and off, and different trees bloom later.  Don't forget thistle, and weeds. 
Some parts of the bay area get nectar in the winter from eucalyptus. 
There's a nectar flow from ivy in October and November too.  It's problematic because if it's the only nectar
available and a colony binges on it, they may be doomed when it granulates around the brood ball. 

If you want to know something about your local flow, identify the blooming trees in a mile radius surrounding your house.
Make a note of the species, and  when they start and stop blooming, and their relative abundance.  
Besides those, there are backyard citrus, stone fruit, apples, and other orchard trees in back yards. 

The app iNaturalist can help with the identification. 
that's my 2¢

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[Bees & Beeks]

2026 is a strange year, per swarm calls there wasn’t a “flow”; at least not yet.  Near my house I look out for the wild almond trees to be in bloom and full of white flowers, usually around Feb. Almonds are one of first tree to blossom.  I don’t see it this year.  Saw some spotted white flowers and lots of green leaves but no full bloom.  Likewise with my apricot and peach tree.

My nectarine tree was in full bloom so I’m expecting a good harvest of nectarines. There is only a handful of apricots on my tree this year, usually there’s so many I give them away and can them.   In past years my tomatoes plants are giving me plenty of tomatoes for June, July and August but this year only a handful has started to blossom flowers and no fruit bud yet.  The unexpected cold flash also killed several of the smaller tomato plants.  

Other than my first few years of beekeeping, this year has been most difficult for me.  I haven’t had working layers for almost a decade (1st or 2nd winter of beekeeping); this year I’ve gotten 4 hives that went into working layers.  

Currently I have 4 hives with no signs of eggs.  I saw the Queen in one, she’s just not laying yet. The other 3 I’m not certain of but they do have capped brood and were clustering.  I’ll give them a few more weeks to see if warmer weather prompts laying, but most likely end up combining them.  Normally I don’t feed my bees but I think this year, I will need to.  I already gave away my feeder frame so I’m going to have to open feed the bees.  With the exception of 2 hives, none of them are producing any honey.   It’s strange because there has been plenty of rain so one would think plenty of nectar for the bees.  

Bee Humble, 

Mimi 

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On May 28, 2026, at 11:33 PM, Gerald Przybylski <gtp0...@gmail.com> wrote:

 There's Flow™ and there's flow = nectar-flow. 

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[Deborah Insel]

I agree.  Weather-wise, it seems like February and May swapped places this year.  Must be disorienting for plants and bees (as well as us.)  

With our three hives, they just haven't built up their numbers as in past springs.  We add a super, expecting them to need room to store honey, and then end up taking it off because there's no population boom, so they have room in the brood box, and don’t seem to be making much honey.  They’re calm, are queen-right, have lots of bees and resources, but they’re just holding steady.  Maybe it’s a Pleasanton thing.

Deb

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[MLuskin]

Jerry, you talked about blooming trees. Do you think that trees are more important than all the other blooming plants in creating a good flow?

Merry Luskin, Oakland CA 

Reference librarian 

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[Gerald Przybylski]

It really depends a lot on the particular forage plant. 
Some trees are stingy with nectar, some are generous. I've heard euclayptus is generous because in Au they count on hummingbirds for pollination. 
With a tree you can get a LOT of blooms in a small space for a specific period of time. 
Weeds are generally dispersed, unless you have a field overrun with thistle or anise or fennel.  That would be a generous source.
Individual back yards with a few of this flower, a few of that, they don't count for much. 
So it depends on the details. 

Back on the farm, the one basswood tree in our yard gave a distinct flavor to the harvest.
It overwhelmed the clover and alfalfa and dandelion and other weeds when it was in bloom. 

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[yolanda huang]

Are there any reference sources of what trees are generous with nectar for bees?  AFter the flush of plums and cherries, what other trees are blooming?

Before I got involved with bees, I planted 3 Arbutus unedo or strawberry trees. I remember some club speaker saying these are good for pollen.

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[Gerald Przybylski]

I don't know of any specific ones. 
If you find some, let me know. 
I've heard there are about 200,000 nectar sources in the US. 

The  iNaturalist app can help you identify what you come across. 
Survey the surrounding mile radius, or half-mile radius. 

We know the bad ones.  Ivy, rhododendron/azalea family, California Buckeye, Oleander. 
Fortunately there's usually something healthier blooming most of the time.  So apparently they don't dabble that much.

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[Bees & Beeks]

In SF Bay Area, pollen is plentiful, its nectar that bees need.  When my bees start bringing in lots of pollen it means dearth - nectar dearth.  Pollen scarcity maybe an issue in regions that snow but not here. 

Mimi 

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On May 30, 2026, at 5:06 PM, Gerald Przybylski <gtp0...@gmail.com> wrote:



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