Nectar Flow
Lexikon
Nectar flow is the collective term for what the bees find in their surroundings in the way of nectar, pollen and honeydew.
Nectar flow is the collective term for what the bees find in their surroundings in the way of nectar, pollen and honeydew. One speaks of a major flow with particularly abundant sources, such as large fields of rapeseed or sunflowers, larger stands of black locust or lime, dandelion meadows and areas of blackberry. The nectar of a major flow usually shapes the aroma of the honey, while minor flows contribute the subtle nuances.
In spring, it is above all fruit blossom, dandelion and rapeseed that provide nectar and pollen, and they often flower at the same time. In summer, stands such as black locust and lime are added, along with flower-rich areas. Important for managing expectations: even those who migrate specifically to a particular flow cannot control what is actually foraged. The bees decide which of the available flows they use and in what proportion, which is why a pure varietal honey can never be planned.
The forest flow is a special case, because it is not based on flowers. Its basis is honeydew, which is excreted by sap-sucking insects, in our region mainly aphids and scale insects. They take up plant sap that is rich in sugar but poor in amino acids, and they have to take in so much of it that they release the surplus sugar as fine droplets onto needles and leaves. The bees collect these droplets and process them like nectar. Because the forest flow thus depends on the development of these insects and not on a flowering calendar, it is considerably less predictable than a blossom flow.
Two things follow from this for practice. In periods of dearth and after the harvests, the risk of robbing increases, so restraint is advisable when working at the apiary. And when feeding up in autumn: your own blossom honey, sugar syrup, fondant or sugar water are suitable, dark honeys as well as forest and melezitose honeys are not, because their high mineral content puts a strain on the bees. Honey from other sources is particularly dangerous because of the risk of introducing American foulbrood.