Major Flow (Mass Nectar Flow)
Lexikon
A major flow refers to forage sources that bloom over a wide area at the same time and deliver very large amounts of nectar and pollen in a short period.
A major flow refers to forage sources that bloom over a wide area at the same time and deliver very large amounts of nectar and pollen in a short period. Classic examples in Central Europe are dandelion, fruit tree blossom, rapeseed, robinia and lime.
For the beekeeper, the major flow is the basis of the honey harvest and of varietal honey, because the bees then commit almost entirely to a single source. But it has two downsides. First, it ends abruptly, which can lead to nectar dearth and, as a result, to robbing. Second, it is not enough for even colony development, because it only lasts a few weeks of the year.
Major flows often arise from arable farming. Where they dominate the forage supply, the pollen supply is one-sided and scarce for the rest of the season. For colony health, the small-scale trickle flow is therefore at least as important.
Anyone who wants to make use of a major flow plans the honey super and any migration according to the flowering development, not the calendar. The tools for this are observing the forage plants on site and the hive scale.