Photos: Honey collection in late August
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As August draws to a close, it marks the end of the summer honey flow period on the Prairies. And it prompts provincial apiarists in southern Manitoba to begin collecting honey from their hives.
The Brandon Sun caught up with Mike Clark with Clark Apiaries and Richard Gradwell on Friday afternoon as they began collecting honey boxes from nucleus hives north of Wawanesa along Provincial Road 340 to begin the process of extracting the honey.
Honey collected at different times in the spring, summer and late summer/fall period have different flavours and colours. Bees that gather nectar from early-blooming flowers produce a light-coloured honey that is more floral in flavour. Summer honey, when at its peak, has a sweet flavour and light colour as bees collect from canola and clover crops.
Mike Clark with Clark Apiaries, who is also director of the Manitoba Beekeepers’ Association, blows bees off honey boxes while collecting the boxes atop nucleus hives so the honey can be harvested north of Wawanesa along Provincial Road 340 on a cool Friday afternoon. Nucleus hives are smaller starter hives and don’t produce a lot of honey. They will be fully productive next year. Clark is a third generation beekeeper. His grandfather started the apiary in 1914.
Late summer and fall honey typically includes alfalfa and other late-season wildflowers, producing a slightly darker grade of honey.
The nucleus hives that Clark and Gradwell worked on Friday are smaller starter hives, and don’t produce a lot of honey. They will be fully productive next year.
Clark, a third generation beekeeper, is also the Director of the Manitoba Beekeepers’ Association. His grandfather started Clark Apiaries in 1914.
» Photos by Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun
Richard Gradwell uses a smoker to calm honey bees.
Honeybees congregate outside nucleus hives.
Honeybees fly outside nucleus hives.
