Heaps of honey in store — touch wood

Murray Rixon with a healthy frame full of honey recently pulled from a hive in Tirohanga Rd,...
Murray Rixon with a healthy frame full of honey recently pulled from a hive in Tirohanga Rd, North Taieri. Photo: Gregor Richardson
Predictions of a bumper honey-production season remain on track — so long as the weather co-operates.

"Spring this year was quite exceptional, nothing like spring last year, which was quite appalling for beekeepers across the country," Murray Rixon, of Mosgiel company  Rentahive, said.

"Things are looking very good at this point."

Mr Rixon said every beekeeper’s wish was sun in the day and rain at night, and thus far the weather had been thoroughly obliging.‘‘It means the plants get enough water to thrive and flourish and produce flowers which produce nectar, and the bees can go out and forage for it on those nice sunny days.

"Bees do gather momentum, and they can do more in a week of conditions like this than they can with weeks of assisted feeding in beehives by us."

While he was not prepared to predict a record harvest, all the markers so far suggested  a very significant honey crop this year, Mr Rixon said.

"But it can go wrong. Last year the weather was good till early January, then it just crashed and burned and it was a disaster from there on in."

Dunedin Beekeepers’ Club president Brian Pilley said honey production had begun a month early for many apiarists and if the right mix of temperatures and rain continued, hives could be in for a bumper crop.

"We want a nice high heat, mixed with a nice amount of rain, so that the clover keeps yielding," Mr Pilley said.

"We have had some rain. Now, as long as the temperature is high enough to raise the ground temperature, there should be plenty of honey."

While he remained optimistic — and the weather forecast looked promising — he was not counting his honey pots just yet.

"It was looking this good last year but then the weather got very cold.’’That cold snap wrecked the season for many honey producers and the crop had been the worst in 30 years.

"Depending on the weather, the bees can either produce a tray of honey in a week, or they could eat a tray of honey in a week," Mr Pilley said.

"Things are looking good at the moment, but regional differences can be huge."

If favourable conditions persisted, hives could continue to produce honey as late as March, Mr Pilley said.

"If things continue as they have done, things for most producers should be just fine."

Milburn honey producer Allen McCaw was watching the skies anxiously.  His hives had had the requisite heat to see the bees out flying and harvesting all day, but not the rain needed to keep flowering plants flourishing.

"We’re going OK; we started about a month early and things have been doing reasonably well, but if it stays dry things will finish off relatively quickly."

Most producers looked like being in for a good season, Mr McCaw, owner of Milburn Apiaries, said.

"It’s not likely we’ll be breaking any records, but if the weather behaves we will be in for a very good season."

mike.houlahan@odt.co.nz

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