Spring is n’t just a clip for cleaning – it ’s also the good time of year for you to tend to your beehives ! As a apiculturist , spring is one of the most of import time of year forhive direction .
Not only will your bee population start to grow as the weather improves , but you ’ll have a bit of clean - up to do after a long , cold wintertime , too . If it ’s your first clock time raise bees , you might want to consider doing these nine honey bee spring chores .
Why It’s Important to Check On Your Bees in the Spring
Unless you live in Hawaii or another place in the tropic climate , your bees probably succeed seasonal design . Therefore , your own pattern should also follow a seasonal rhythm .
This is something you ’re probably already used to . After all , they do n’t call it “ spring cleaning ” and “ spring planting ” for nothing !
When it fall to your beehives , there are a few major reason why you will require to tend to your hives first thing in the give .
Lets You Stay On Top of Things
First things first — bounce is a safe time to make a list of all the other tasks that need to be done during this beekeeping time of year . If you fell behind on any chores during the wintertime or have anything left that you need to get caught up on – such as orderingnew beekeeping equipmentor bees – the early fountain is the adept prison term to do so .
You will also need to ensure alldisease treatmentsare double-dyed ( ideally by the remnant of winter ) and get yourself organized for a busy season ofhoney collection . Do you need to order more supers ? build up more frames ? leaping will give you a brief window of abatement so you may get your head on straight before the hectic season get down .
Gives You an Opportunity to Assess the Winter Damage
Winter can be rough on any environment – but that ’s peculiarly true if you have an apiary . You will want to check your hive for breaking wind damage throughout thewinter seasonbut especially as the spring melt begins . you’re able to take note of any damages to the hives and figure out whether you postulate to replace a queen or separate out bee population between hives .
Helps You Make Plans for the Season Ahead
at long last , spring is a smashing clip to take a breather and make plans for the approaching summertime season . count on how prospicient springtime takes to arrive – and pass through – in your region , you might have quite a bit of clip on your hand before you’re able to in reality work your hives .
Therefore , you should take the chance now to start jotting down summertime task you require to get done – and to get down dream for the upcoming honey season !
9 Honey Bee Spring Chores to Jump On
1. Feed Your Bees
Before you do anything else , you involve to tip your bees . You may have done this occasionally prior to now , but it ’s specially important after a rough winter . The bees are potential to have consumed most of their honey stores , and if it takes a recollective time for blooming flowers to come out in your area , they are n’t going to be able to replace those stores for a while .
If you ’ve never fed your bee before , you will need to do this with sugar water . you’re able to also use honey from the supernumerary you had leftover at the end of the former year , but this is n’t as common . To make loot weewee , combine two character sugar to one part water . There are some additive that you may admit , too , which are designed to prevent algae and mold and to stimulate the product of brood .
These , however , are not necessary .
you could do a mess feed in which you leave a container out for all of your nettle rash , but this can attract pests like racoon . Therefore , you may need to utilise an entry affluent at the entry to your beehive and restrict access to the water to your bees only .
These recipes forgrease patty and bee fondantare not bad manner to feed bee during wintertime , or now in leaping when food is still scarce .
2. Set Out New Hives
Make indisputable you have an empty hive or two ready to go in case some of yourbees swarmand start out looking for new homes . If you do n’t do this , you start the risk of your bees flying elsewhere and never get along back .
Swarms can technically happen at any time , but this is the most common in the spring . You may also need tobuild or buy new hivesentirely , so take the chance to do so in the bound , when you are ideally less busy .
3. Harvest Honey
If you had any honey that was n’t used over the wintertime , wait until the heyday begin to bloom , then go in advance and glean . You do n’t want to harvest too soon , as this can gazump your bees of worthful food stores .
4. Replace Your Queen
Hopefully , this is n’t a chore you will need to put on your to - do lean . If you do , though , do n’t panic . Instead , plan ahead .
ascertain your beehive and inspect it cautiously to see if it has a satisfying brood pattern . If it does n’t – or if you suspect or name that the queen is beat – you will need to get a replacement . You do n’t have to get a whole new dependency of bees to do this . fag are usually betray separately .
Even if your nance has n’t fail , there are sometimes reasons that will require you to replace her . If laying has slow down , your bees aretoo aggressive , or your beehive is just underperforming , there ’s a beneficial prospect that it ’s the queen to find fault .
You could rear your own queen , and we share thehow - to channelize to rearing a queen .
5. Divide Your Populations
If you have multiple hive , you may want to separate out some of your bees to ensure the population are even across the various hives . This can prevent overcrowding in one hive which can , in turn , conduct to cloud .
If you are lead tosplit a beehive , ensure it is strong enough for this to be done . You ’ll be move about three pound of bees – along with an existing queen mole rat – and starting a newfangled hive .
6. Control Pests
Many people apply plague ascendency during the winter , but there are a couple of pests you may need to target during the spring . These includevarroa mites , which reproduce every ten day , andsmall beehive beetles .
you could usually useoxalic acid to kill varroa mite , but you ’ll require to implement a regular discussion docket .
Small beehive beetles can be treated in a variety of ways – such as ambush – and are well controlled in the give . Often , these infestations can be prevented by having a strong hive . Therefore , follow all the other undertaking required in this spring task list can decidedly help you out .
Just remember if you are using any sort of medication in your nettle rash , you will require to wait at least five weeks before supply your honey superintendent . This can cause contaminant of the honey you specify to harvest .
7. Evaluate Laying Patterns
You may want to take a tone at the egg pattern in your hives to ensure your queen is still laying well . You ’ll know that there is an outlet with your nance if you do n’t find out any eggs or there are working bee pose eggs . That ’s not a good position to be in .
8. Check On Your Honey Supers
Make indisputable your skeleton , foundations , and of course , your supers are in good working ordering as part of your beloved bee bound chore . Get them ready to go in the hive for collection . When you ’re decide where to position Modern users , pay special aid to the nectar flows . Your beehive needs to be nearing full mental ability in order for the bee to begin using the super .
9. Keep an Eye on Production
do up with a system now that will serve you keep cart track of dear production all season . Some beekeepers like to reap frequently , while others prefer to await until the end of this time of year . The choice is yours . It does n’t really count how you choose to supervise your dear output . Just verify you have a design in space and adopt it so that you do n’t get overwhelmed by and by on .
A Final Item For Your Honey Bee Spring Chores To-Do List
One more idea that you may want to put on your to - do list ? You might want to consider joining a local beekeeping golf club !
You might experience intimidated by this , especially if you are new , but it ’s a capital way to larn more about the bee culture in your area , along with issues that are specific to your universe of bee . Not only will you learn a ton of selective information that will be invaluable as you build your urtication , but you ’ll likely make a few good friends , too .
Who knows – maybe they ’ll even be willing to avail you out when honey bee spring chore clip rolls around ? One can only desire !
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