Thanks to Nancy Frye for reminding us of this expression:
A swarm in May is worth a load of hay; a swarm in June is worth a silver spoon; but a swarm in July is not worth a fly.
This is a proverbial beekeepers’ saying from the mid-17th century. It means that the later in the year it is, the less time there will be for bees to collect pollen from flowers in blossom.