June In Your Apiary

June 1, 2023 by Leave a Comment
DSC_0146

Hawthorne in Flower

Having installed our new King on his throne in the gloom and rain, it seems that at long last it was deemed possible to turn OFF the Spring stopcocks, and switch ON the sun. June 1st marks the Meteorological start of our Summer that ends by the 31st August … although Mid-Summers day is the 21st June!  Fortunately, perhaps, our bees are less encumbered by meteorological and astrological quirks, and just get on with doing what they can, when they can.

All we have to do is keep up with them! At least the next two weeks weather looks somewhat predictable, after which all bets are off. So, ‘Mind the Gap’. Check for useable stores and prepare to feed when otherwise expecting to be adding supers. 

Remaining hot weather will bring on the colonies. They would have been able to take full advantage of late spring and maybe early summer flowering and should have rapidly occupied available space in their hives. With the consequence that the bees thoughts WILL have turned to swarming, and for the unwary amongst us, those thoughts became action.

During May, you should have managed to get into reasonably regular weekly inspections  so where swarming preparations were found, you have been able to divert their attention.

In a strong nectar flow it’s essential to provide space for the rapidly growing colony. by adding an additional super when the first is half filled. Hive congestion, particularly in a strong nectar flow, is a trigger for swarming preparation. Strong colonies were filling supers last month!

[Read more…]

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May in Your Apiary

May 1, 2023 by Leave a Comment

May Blossom
(Crataegus Monogynus)

As is now usual, we endured another ‘unusual’ April, with seemingly alternating wet and dry days and temperatures pegged down in the low to mid teens. May at least looks to be slighter better, but still below par for the month. Less rain and temperatures expected to move up into the mid to high teens … has to be some improvement!

Expect your bees to be cramming a lot of activity into what half decent weather opportunities arise.

If colonies have been strong enough, they will be well into expansion, whilst weaker colonies could still be really struggling and re-queening, uniting or wholesale replacement may well be the order of the day.  

So, expect your surviving stronger colonies to be doing quite well thank you and bursting at the seams … unless you are already on top of their management. Whilst any weaker colonies may be struggling … particular after the recent dips in temperatures and overnight frosts.

Don’t be Caught Out

If you are not already, pay particular attention to swarming in May. This month is usually the month in the beekeeping year when activity accelerates very quickly, perhaps doubly so this May. If you are not well prepared, you will be caught out!

The first rape crops and fruit blossom should be in evidence, and when warm enough, available storage space will be being filled with nectar… competing with space the Queen will need for laying.

Brace yourselves for a busy ‘swarm season’. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Apiary Tasks, This Month in Your Apiary

Small angry bees flying = Swarm

May 1, 2023 by 1 Comment

A Cryptic Clue posed by Master Beekeeper Geoff Blay, prompted Keith Mackie to provide this report on his recent adventure dealing with the answer …

For those on RBKA WhatsApp, Monday 24th April, Geoff Blay entertained with a post:

“9 across, Guardian, cryptic clue “Small angry bees flying, (5)”. 

Others challenged Geoff to…why ‘small’ and importantly, why ‘angry’?

Allowing Geoff to respond, breaking down the clue to conclude:

Cryptic clue comprises two different routes to the answer.  You have to ‘split’ the clue in the right place – the split here is after the word ‘angry’ – giving first route to the answer as “s” (abbreviation for small) and “warm” a synonym of angry – this gives “swarm” which of course fits the second part of the clue. Perhaps a more appropriate clue would be…”small and angry bees that will emerging on mass at the weekend when it start to warm up, etc etc…..lets see what happens!

Why did I share this?  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Colony Manipulation, Featured Announcements, Noticeboard, This Month in Your Apiary

Spring Comb Management – why is Comb Change necessary?

April 14, 2023 by Leave a Comment

This article from Keith Mackie is based upon quoted references* from Wally Shaw publications. It is provided as a summary of the presentation he and Trevor Keast gave to Reigate BKA members at the 12-April Apiary meeting as a spur-of-the-moment activity; due to being rained off from entering the hives that week.

Successfully Overwintered Bees

Bees naturally wants to reproduce, they do this typically by swarming, as beekeepers (who are managing bees to keep them in the hive, as livestock in movable framed hives) we can undertake good early season pre-emptive management techniques to assist the bees in this process.  By delaying it starting to early in the season when drones who will need to be mature to mate with Queens.  Drones reach full maturity in April to mid-May, depending on many factors discussed below. In the various pre-emptive manipulation, we can do are only delaying the instinct, not preventing it happening eventually.

Triggers for swarming are, colony recognises it’s a good time to swarm, based on a nectar flow, and internal and external factors.  Internally we can control to some extent manage the internal hive condition in a movable frame hive, through regular management, externally is very much more difficult.  Management however is essential in a suburban or domestic environment to stop honeybee swarms being a nuisance to others, entering neighbouring asset structures, etc. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Colony Manipulation, Noticeboard, This Month in Your Apiary

April in Your Apiary

April 1, 2023 by Leave a Comment
Flowering Currant

Flowering Currant

April should be,  used to be, and usually would be the start of the new beekeeping year … as the colony transitions from winter survival to colony renewal and growth. This year, the latter weeks of March in particular have been untypically very wet, and temperatures have fluctuated from chilly during dry spells and only milder when also wet, Neither of which being very helpful for the bees. Consequentially any growth commenced by over wintered surviving colonies during the new year earlier periods of warmer weather, will have now come do a damp halt. But again, any already laid brood will still need the colony’s ongoing attention.

Weather during April can be highly variable and may further impact on the rate of colony growth and the type of beekeeper interventions required.  And it’s the ability to provide timely interventions when required that will be OUR huge challenge this month and for months to come. 

Weekly inspections, need to commence as soon as practical and feasible. However, do not open up the hive for anything more than a very quick peer down between the seams of bees, unless the outside temperature is at least 15ºC. Otherwise the brood risks becoming chilled.

At the first inspection: [Read more…]

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Moving Hives in Winter

March 1, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Almost all beekeepers will need to move their hives at some point during their beekeeping career. This could be due to a move of house, or deciding to move hives to an out apiary to allow expansion. It could also be for the simple reason that you want to relocate the bees within an apiary or garden.

Most beekeepers will also have heard of the expression stating that when moving hives for any reason you need to move them either three feet or three miles.

During the summer months this is certainly true. Hives can be moved a few feet each day or so to relocate them short distances within an apiary. Anything more than that and you would be required to move them a few miles away. Failing to do this risks the bees flying out of the hive at their new location, orienting on local landmarks that they recognise, and then returning to the old hive site which is no longer there and perishing. Many foraging bees can be lost this way.

Moving bees in winter however can be far easier. During the winter months, especially during cold snaps, the bees are confined to a cluster and do not leave the hive until the next bright and sunny day in which they may perform cleansing flights. During these times of inactivity, the bees begin to lose their sense of orientation after approximately seventy-two hours or so. Certainly, after a week or more of confinement due to unfavourable weather conditions new orientation flights will need to be performed. Beekeepers can take this opportunity to move their hives small distances without the typical concern for flying bees returning to the original site.

I have an out apiary near Reigate on a farmer’s field. The field is very large at over one hundred acres and at the end of last year the farmer requested that I move my seven hives about three hundred meters across the field. The predicament that I had was obvious. The distance of the move is far too close to not expect the bees to simply return to the original location and, moving them one or two meters per day would take me over a year! I therefore made the decision to move them during the winter months and luckily the farmer was fine with this timetable.

Moving hives in winter is a delicate process however I believe it to be far easier than moving a hive during the summer. Firstly, you probably won’t have supers full of honey to consider which reduces the amount of equipment and associated weight considerably. Further, if the procedure is carried out correctly there should be no bee activity. The whole idea behind this winter move is to do it while they are naturally clustered and self-contained within their hive(s). Finally, moving bees in summer brings a risk of overheating, hence the need for traveling screens. In winter this is not necessary.

So what is the procedure for moving hives during winter? It slightly depends on what hive type you are working with:

Poly Nuc

By far the easiest item to move would be a poly nuc. Simply close the disk entrance the night before the move. The next day, pick it up and relocate it in your apiary. After a few hours (or later that evening) when the bees have settled down from any disturbance due to moving – re-open the entrance and the job is done. A strap can be used around the nuc if there is a concern it may come apart during the moving process.

National, Langstroth, Smith, Commercial etc.

These hive types are also pretty easy to move although they may have some weight to them, so a second person to help with lifting will be beneficial. As with the poly nuc, close the entrances the night before at dusk. You can stuff the entrances with foam or use varroa screen and thumb tacks. You could also simply stick duct tape over the entrance. It doesn’t really matter which method you use, as long as it is secure. The worst thing that could happen would be for the entrance to become open during the move and suddenly have bees out during this process.

With these hive types I use ratchet straps to hold everything together. During the summer a traveling screen would be required but as this is a winter move you can leave the hive untouched and closed up. Ratchet strap around the roof and floor with two straps going parallel to each other. Once the hives are in their new location the straps can be removed and then the entrances can be opened after a few hours or that evening after the bees have settled down.

WBC Hives

WBC hives are a popular choice in this country due to their beauty and traditional look. I use them myself as you can see from the pictures however they are also the most difficult to move for the following reasons:

  • Many people run WBC hives on double brood due to their smaller brood box size which makes them bigger and heavier even when no supers are present.
  • WBC floors cannot be removed from the stand which hinders moving the hive and again makes it heavier.
  • WBC hives have lifts – again, heavy – and the lifts really need to be removed before moving the hive.
  • Removing the lifts means removing the roof. This also now means bees can escape via the holes in the crown board so the crown board holes also need to be sealed up!

With all the above taken into consideration I go to the hives the evening before the move and prep them for relocation. I remove the roof and put varroa screen over any holes in the crown board. If it’s very cold then bee activity around this area should be minimal. If you are quick and avoid too much jostling the holes can be covered before any bees come up. I next remove the lifts. This can cause some disturbance, especially the bottom lift which has the porch on it. After a number of months having not been touched it can get stuck down with propolis. At this point bees can begin to emerge from what is now a rather large front entrance. If the hive is left for ten minutes most of the bees will return inside the hive where there is warmth. The process can be expedited by a small amount of smoke or very fine water spray mist to mimic rain. Once they are all back in push foam or rags into the large entrance hole to seal it up. The lifts and roof can be replaced until the next morning when the hives are moved.

On move day I simply remove the roof and lifts. Double check that the bees are still contained within the inner brood boxes. Two ratchet straps can now be applied under the WBC floor and stand and over the top of the crown board holding the complete hive together. This will almost certainly be a two or even three person lift into a suitable vehicle or wheelbarrow to get the hive into its new location.

Once at the new site, wait for the bees to settle down for a few hours and then remove the straps and foam entrance block. Put the lifts back on and then the roof. The move is now complete.

Other Considerations

Always wear a bee suit even if the hives are sealed up. There is always the opportunity for a mishap to occur and if the bees were to escape in cold weather during a move they probably wouldn’t be too happy. Keep a smoker and/or water spray to hand for similar reasons.

Hive relocations often have to happen at short notice and the weather isn’t always in co-operation. This winter for example has been quite warm and my bees have had many days of flying. I was concerned that even though it is February, many bees would fly back to the original site. I therefore decided to leave my bees locked in for seventy-two hours before opening the entrances. I checked them daily and sprayed some water through the crown board holes. I then released them right before two days of rain. I am reasonably confident that after nearly a week inside they will re-orient to the new site on their next good flying day.

Ensure that you setup and prep your new location before you move the hives. It is always best to have hive stands and/or pad stones in place ready for the move so that there is minimal disruption on the day and the bees can simply be deposited in their new position.

One final tip on encouraging re-orientation – make the entrance look different by placing some branches with foliage over the entrance to each hive. You don’t want to block the entrance but simply make the bees think something may have changed. All of these methods taken together will massively increase the chances that your bees will not be lost back to the old site.

Trevor Keast

RBKA

February 2023

Filed Under: Noticeboard, This Month in Your Apiary

March in Your Apiary

March 1, 2023 by 2 Comments
Bee Hive & Daffodils

The Start of the Beekeepers Year

March is forecast (by AccuWeather for Reigate) to be mostly dry, with day time temperatures only reaching into low double figures, of up to 13 degC, during the second two weeks. Not a great prospect for colony inspections unless your hives are in a sunny wind sheltered location.

Egg laying will have been prompted by the mild February. But a down turn in conditions will upset the bees planning. 

Regardless …. the beekeeping season definitely gets underway in March!

March is a critical time for the survival of the colony. Despite the mild February, some colonies may still be close to having consumed all their winter stores or the supplements you may have provided. Colony access to both nectar & pollen is critical in March as winter stores are depleted and pollen is required for the developing brood. Natural replenishment can be restricted if there is a prolonged period of either wet or, cold weather.
The queen should have restarted laying and the size of the colony should grow throughout March., even though the old “winter” bees will be progressively dying off. Smaller colonies will be absolutely dependent on good March weather to facilitate rebuilding their food store. [Read more…]

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February in Your Apiary

February 1, 2023 by Leave a Comment
fondant

Clear tubs allow fondant supplies to checked without opening the hive further.

Feed, Feed and Feed.

During last month, and similarly to winter 2021, January temperatures swung from unseasonably mild to rudely cold, then very wet before ending perhaps a little more ‘normal’ for a change. ned rather chilly.

But we could be in for a persistantly wet February with night time temperatures around zero and rarely reaching 10degC during the days.  

So once again you may have been seeing some activity outside of the hive and the queens could be well into laying already. But that could all slow again.  Do heft or if needed take a quick peek under the roofs, to confirm that the bees are making headway into their stores or fondant, and that they still have some to tuck into.

Although this is usually the last of the quiet months for the beekeeper, things will certianly be stirring in the hive as the bees attempt to respond to the longer daylight hours. As the queen comes back into lay, if indeed she every stopped, she will be depositing eggs in clean cells in the centre of the nest area to raise workers for the early part of the season.
Caretaker activities are important. February is all about making sure that your bees have sufficient to eat and drink, and protecting your hives from the continuing effects of cold wet wintry weather and animals. 

Outside the temperature may still be in single or even low double figures, but with brood to raise the workers need to boost the temperature in the inner nest to 33°C – 35°C, by clustering together and quivering using their large thoracic muscles to produce heat. This requires them to consume an increased amount of food, up to 500g in a week, so we can expect the stores to become depleted more rapidly now.

  • Heft the hives every two week by lifting them at each side, (or weigh them with a spring balance – see BeeNews November 2014 edition for advice about how to do this), and feed only if necessary.
  • If the hive is still well provisioned and you can see bees carrying pollen into the hive, leave the hive alone.
  • If no pollen is being taken into the hive feed fondant or candy, (which can be made from caster sugar and your honey); if pollen is being brought to the hive feed syrup.
  • If you have any doubts about the level of stores, a slab of fondant placed over one of the holes in the crown board is good insurance.
  • Pollen patties can be given at the end of the month on top of the frames. See BeeNews February 2012 edition for advice about how to make patties.
  • Do not stop feeding until there is a steady flow of nectar and pollen into the hive.
  • If the air temperature is over 10°C and the sun is shining you should expect to see a few bees venturing out in search of pollen or making a cleansing flight.

The bees will need water close to the hive.

  • Make sure there is a suitable water source. This can be a plastic container, filled with peat or wood shavings and water. An old car tyre laid flat also makes a good watering place. See BeeNews November 2012 edition for making a DIY water station. Any source should be about 10 m from the hive so that it is not contaminated by bees during their ‘cleansing’ flights.
  • Check all hives for activity.

If most hives are active but one appears inactive, inspect this hive to see if the colony is dead. Any hive which has died should be shut down and if possible removed from the apiary.

  • Ensure all hive entrances are clear, remove any dead bees and any snow.
  • If you treated with oxalic acid and monitored the varroa drop, the tray can be removed to assist ventilation.
  • However, the queen will almost certainly have started laying by now, so you may prefer to leave the tray in place to help keep the brood nest temperature raised. Remember to clean the tray regularly.
  • It is also important during February, if weather permits, to clean your hive floor or consider changing it for a fresh floor, especially if it is a solid floor. But remember to ensure the brood box does not chill, so do the cleaning or changing as quickly as possible, and it is best to have an assistant to help with lifting.
  • Check there are no leaks into your hive. Damp is dangerous, leading to chilled brood and mouldy comb.
  • Continue to check for the unwanted attention of the green woodpecker. They can be a particular nuisance if the ground is too hard for them to find ants.
  • February is often the most convenient time to relocate hives in the apiary that need moving more than 3 feet. If you move the colony after a week when the weather has been too poor for flying, then you can re-site the hive beyond the normal 3 feet restriction. The bees will re-learn their new location when they do emerge.
  • Complete cleaning and making equipment and new frames ready for the season.

Remember if you must open the hive beyond simply checking fondant stores over a crownboard, do it on a warmer day with minimal disturbance, (+13°C is the preferred temperature).

On warmer days the bees will still be housekeeping with mortuary bees removing dead bees and detritus from the hive…. so, make sure the entrances and mouse guards (if used) are clear even if there is no snow/ice around.

With brood already in the many colonies you may wish to buy or, prepare ‘pollen patties’ to help the colony feed the early brood. This is essentially an insurance policy against poor weather preventing pollen collection. Once started, feeding pollen may need to be  continued until there is a good flow of nectar and pollen into the hive. Click HERE to read how to make your own pollen patties and use them in your hives.

February is also the time to tidy up the shed, clean your equipment, prepare new frames and order supplies otherwise, you run the risk of panic in March! Surplus and no longer needed equipment can be cleaned up and put into our Auction in May,

Filed Under: Apiary Tasks, This Month in Your Apiary

January in Your Apiary

January 1, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Happy Beekeeping in 2023

As we emerge from Christmas and New Year festivities, our thoughts now need to be turning to the approaching beekeeping season. The winter solstice has already passed, and even with only the occasional watery glimpses of the sun since then, the day lengths are starting to increase.

Although we can’t see, preparations within the hives for the forthcoming season will be in progress. With the absence of any really cold spells this Winter … until just a couple of weeks ago, Queens may well have still been laying right up until that VERY cold ‘snap’. And with temperatures having swung back up into the low teens already… thoughts of Spring having already arrived may now be coursing through the hives. 

With plenty of evidence of flying ‘winter’ bees; stores will be being depleted … quite likely faster then they can be replenished by the foraging bees. Check stores regularly and be prepared  to supplement as needed.

So what tasks should we be contemplating?

  • Now is a good time to review the hive positions in your apiary and move any hives to improve their Winter sun and wind orientation.
  • Heft regularly (lifting a hive side) to assess the weight of stores present without disturbing the colony. If in doubt gently lift off the lid and check visually. Choose a milder day to do this so as not to chill the colony unnecessarily but do not delay if you suspect they need feeding. The colony will die very quickly if there is no food available. If the bees are at the top of the frames and clustered and not showing any activity they may already be starving.
  • Feed with solid food placed right on top of the frames where the bees are clustering. Keep checking every couple of weeks and estimate consumption to plan top ups. Remember, if it is very cold they will not move to where the feed is, even if it is just the next frame, and will starve to death. Ensure the feed is always easily available.
  • Don’t assume that strong colonies need less looking after, they need more food !
  • Remember any solid food that you give your bees has to be diluted and that means finding water from somewhere. Not easy in a hard frost.
  • Ensure your bees will have a water source throughout the Winter.
  • Check that your hives have adequate ventilation.
  • Monitor the now small entrance regularly for the build up of dead bees. Remember to look particularly behind any mouse guards.
  • Bees are dying all the time and cold temperatures dissuade the ‘undertakers’ from fulfilling their duties. Use a probe (stick) to gently remove the deceased and keep the entrance clear, but be careful not to disturb all the others.
  • Even if you have mouse guards fitted, check for signs of a mouse getting into the hive, such as large pieces of wax on the ground at the hive entrance. If necessary lift the cover board and smell; an ammonia type smell may indicate a mouse.
  • If we have snow again later, it can easily block the entrance in a dramatic way. So keep a watchful eye.
  • The bright reflection of snow can fool bees into thinking it is warmer outside than it actually is. If they come out from the cosy cluster for cleansing flights they will perish as soon as they meet the freezing air. Prevent this by placing a board over, but not blocking, the entrance to keep the bright glare of sun on snow out.
  • Rake dead leaves away from under your hives.
  • If not done so already, consider treating for varroa with oxalic acid if necessary. See the article in the October 2016 BeeNews about the use of an oxalic acid vapouriser.
  • Check out the website links provided by Jamie Ellis during his 2021 December talk for up-to-the-minute options and guidance on Varroa treatment options.
  • Make up new frames, but leave the wax fitting until March, and clean old frames. Make other new equipment ready for the start of the season – a nucleus hive is always useful.

Regular checks on the hives are always recommended. Have you ensured they still have their lids on and haven’t blown over or been disturbed by winds? If your hives are in a new spot, is it a frost hole? Has the site flooded? Have the woodpeckers found it? Read on, for all the early season checks and what to look out for.

Enrol on the ‘RBKA Crew’  WhatsApp page for topical tips, suggestions and help.

Wise words from Adam Leitch on the implications of unusually warm weather this January …

It is day length, rather than temperature that is the key to reduction in laying of the queen. Thus even in a mild winter, a queen will reduce her lay rate, although she is unlikely to stop altogether, and even in more northerly parts of the country, it is not unexpected to find brood throughout the Winter even if it is colder location.

Warmer weather might mean the cluster breaks more frequently during the day, and isolation starvation can occur if it doesn’t reform as a single entity during the night. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to help in this case.

If bees continue flying so late in the day, they may succumb to the cold whilst out flying and never return. Also late flying bees may not be able to provide warmth to the cluster and hence the remaining bees will have to work harder to maintain the temperature. Young bees, which would normally see the colony through the Winter might start to use up their reserves if they start foraging during the Winter, rather than more normally early in the Spring.

Due to the higher flying activity of the bees ensuring that they have sufficient food will be particularly import. Regularly heft your hives, and feed candy if required. Additionally, if the colony is found to be small in the Spring, a small boost of fresh syrup in late February or early March may be sensible, and even a pollen patty to reduce the burden on foragers.

If a larger amount of brood has been reared during the winter months, we can expect varroa loads to be high, even early in the year.  So treat your hives with oxalic acid in January, and continue checking mite drop in February and March, and then regularly through the season.

It is likely that the March/April period is going to be even more critical than usual as the number of house bees struggle to cope with the potentially high amount of brood. So be ready to supplement the colony with food – pollen patties for the brood and candy for the bees.

Assess the Remaining Stores for Each Colony

Feeding Fondant via the Feed Hole in the Crown Board
Feeding Fondant via Feed Hole in Crown Board

If we have mild weather, the bees will continue flying and deplete their winter stores more rapidly than usual…..there is no nectar to collect, only pollen from early flowers. The gorse and mahonia are both in flower providing useful early pollen. Consequently, it’s important to assess the level of honey stores at intervals through the 1st Q 2023. For more information on how to assess winter stores click HERE.

Some beekeepers give their colonies a pack of fondant (placed over the hole in the crown board). If the weather permits (pick a still, sunny day), quickly open the hive, add an eke on top of the brood box and insert a pack of fondant (opened face down) directly across the frames….or, simply place an open face of fondant directly over the feedhole in your crown board (remove the porter bee escape). Some beekeepers give their colonies a block of fondant regardless of the level of colony stores in early January. It can be seen as an insurance policy, to ensure your colony doesn’t go short of stores & it also has the potential to kick start the natural growth in colony size ahead of the Spring foraging season. NEVER feed your colonies sugar syrup in winter. It can ferment, and in doing so cause dysentery.

Check Your Hives are Secure Against Predators

Woodpecker Protection

Hopefully you protected your hives against woodpecker damage as part of your winter preparations. If there is damage to the hive wall, temporarily glue a piece of polystyrene foam over the hole/damage or, if it’s a small hole, fill it with something inert like plasticine, until the box can be taken out of service for full repairs in Spring. If we get another cold snap, and the woodpeckers has learnt that your hives provide a bountiful food source, do get some wire net – agricultural suppliers, or gardens centres sell rolls of wire netting that can be formed to provide a protective cover. It needs to be place a couple of inches from the side walls, so that the woodpecker beak can’t peck through it, but not so far away that they can get underneath it.

Check the Hive Entrance for  any Blockage

Dead Bees at Hive Entrance
Dead Bees at Hive Entrance

Sometimes mouse guards can make it difficult for the colony to clear out dead bees which can create an entrance blockage. An entrance blockage can stop bees leaving the hive on milder days for cleansing flights, creating unhygienic conditions within the hive. An entrance blockage can also substantially reduce natural air circulation through the hive, causing mould & mildew to form on the internal hive walls & on the brood frames.

Varroa Treatment

If you haven’t already administered an oxalic acid trickle, or ‘vaped’ your hives, early January is normally the last opportunity, before new brood begins to appear in the hive as the queen restarts laying.

Normally in early January, most colonies usually have little/no brood so, any varroa in the hive will be exposed, on the bees, rather than in the brood. This makes the whole population of varroa highly exposed to varroa treatment. (Note: It may already be too late for an oxalic acid trickle, if there is very early brood in your colony. If this is the case you may need to use MAQ strips or, dust brood frames with icing sugar …the latter on a mild day!). Sublimation (heating oxalic crystals from to a gas) is particularly effective at controlling varroa, see their website, and remember to take any recommendation precautions for personal health and safety.

Stored Brood Comb

If you have any stored brood comb, January is a good time to again check for wax moth (Note: wax moth usually only infests comb which has had brood in it. Consequently, stored super frames are not usually subject to infestation unless the queen managed to get inside the super, & lay eggs). Acetic acid fumigation can be applied but, this is a chemical which is hazardous to humans if not handled correctly. Sulphur strips can bee used to fumigate a stack of over wintered brood frames. The latter does not require the removal (or, greasing with vaseline) of metal parts to protect against corrosion. However, you will still need to perform this operation outdoors & evacuate the area to avoid breathing in sulphur fumes.

And finally …

… this time of the year usually produces some high winds, so, make sure your hive roofs are strapped or weighted down!

Filed Under: This Month in Your Apiary Tagged With: , ,

December in Your Apiary

December 1, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Your colonies should by now, be well prepared for the months ahead; housed in weatherproof and pest (e.g. woodpecker and mice) proof hives, with low varroa loadings and ample supplies of winter stores.

Day time temperatures during late November finally began drifting down towards, but not reaching what used to be normal for late November.  With no frosts experienced so far and bees still flying when the sun shines, conditions are far from normal.

So your bees should at least be prepared to hunker down in tight clusters … hopefully near to their stores or your substitute/additional provisions. Your winter preparations for them may not have yet been put to the test. 

December does look set to deliver sub 10 degrees temperatures most days, some night time temperatures dipping below zero and some rain during the 2ns & 3rd week. Otherwise a mix of sunshine and cloud. And January may be more of the same.

Not impossible that queens will continue laying throughout and hamper mid winter treatment plans!

Do keep checking your colonies stores and topping up feed supplies as needed, but avoid disturbing the bees themselves. .  

December may be the quietest month for bees and beekeepers alike, …. but what ARE the bees (or SHOULD the bees be) doing during December ? 

Your bees are in their winter cluster – secure, warm, dry and well-provisioned if you have done our job properly – and will not be seen outside the hive unless on a cleansing mission or to collect water. The population of each hive is now very much diminished, as few as 5,000 bees and these form a cluster with the queen and remaining brood at the centre.

Their priority now is heat conservation and the protection of queen, brood and hence colony through the coldest months of the year. The cluster is formed with an outer shell of bees facing inwards, abdomens outwards, creating an insulating layer against heat loss. The bees can also protrude their stings should an intruder threaten the cluster. Within this outer shell the bees can move freely and can access their stores – vital as they maintain heat in the centre of the cluster by eating honey and vibrating their strong flight muscles. Larvae also produce heat by consuming food.

During a broodless period the temperature within the cluster is generally between 20-30°C and the cluster can expand or contract to maintain this range and to ensure that the outer wall does not get too cold. Bees from the centre will change places with bees from the outer layer to give them some time in the warmth and the cluster will loosen from time to time in order to move to a new area of stores. (Read the December 2016 edition of BeeNews article about the ‘Winter Cluster’ for more insight.)

In very cold weather the bees may be unable to move far enough to reach available stores and can perish through isolation starvation.

Around New Year there is often a broodless period when oxalic treatments can be applied: on a still day put on suit, gloves and veil and work quickly with warmed solution, and upwind of vapour applications. For advice about the benefits of using sublimation read the article in the October 2016 edition of BeeNews.

Winter is also a good time to move hives as the bees aren’t flying so you can ignore the ‘less than three feet or more than three miles’ rule, the bees will re-orientate when they start flying again in warmer weather.

Be prepared for gales and make sure your hives are secure and protected. Do not leave spare supers on the hives as the taller they are the more they are susceptible to being blown over.

If we do have snow that lies, it may attract the bees to come out, especially if it is sunny and the snow reflects warming sunshine onto the hive. The bees then try to fly but are lost due to becoming chilled. Keep landing boards clear of snow or lean a wide board against the front of the hive.

Hive security and the comfort of your bees should be the objective.

  • Optimum winter conditions for bees are a constant cold temperature and dry conditions.
  • Continue to visually check your hives on a regular basis.
  • Check your hives are watertight and stable, and ensure they are on secure ground.
  • Take measures to ensure hive roofs cannot be blown off – use bricks or secure with wire.
  • If you have solid floors ensure that if water does get in it runs out of the hive, tilt the hive forward by placing a small piece of wood under each rear leg.
  • If you have open mesh floors some beekeepers advise to insert the varroa boards, so that less cold air can enter the hive.
  • Ensure you have woodpecker protection and mouse guards in place.
  • Ensure entrances are reduced to minimum width.
  • Monitor the now small entrance regularly for the build up of dead bees.
  • Remember to look particularly behind any mouse guards.
  • Bees are dying all the time and the cold temperatures dissuade the ‘undertakers’ from fulfilling their duties. Use a probe (stick) to gently remove the deceased and keep the entrance clear, but be careful not to disturb all the others.
  • Snow can easily block the entrance in a dramatic way. So keep a watchful eye.
  • Rake dead leaves away from under your hives.
  • Heft your hives to estimate the remaining stores; feed if necessary.
  • Feeding should not be required yet, but keep an emergency block of candy just in case because most  colonies that die out, do so because of starvation.
  • Ensure your bees will have a water source throughout the Winter.
  • Remember any solid food that you give your bees has to be diluted and that means finding water from somewhere. Not easy in a hard frost.
  • Many beekeepers give their bees a present of fondant on Christmas Day, and why not – they will ignore it if they don’t need it and it will be welcome if they do.
  • If you have mesh floors, you can try checking the occupants of the hive without physical disturbance, by positioning your mobile phone underneath and taking a photo looking up into the brood box (don’t forget to first temporarily remove the varroa board if fitted). Alternatively, a torch shone on to a mirror positioned at an angle under the mesh floor can provide a view.
  • Check that stored comb is protected from mice and wax moth damage.
  • Inspect stored brood frames for signs of wax moth. Wax moth eggs and grubs can be killed by leaving overnight in a suitable freezer.
  • Repair and clean hive parts and other equipment – soda crystals and a blow torch are good friends.
  • Make new frames ready for next season, but don’t fit the wax sheets unless you can store them in a secure place safe from wax moth.

Review the past year and make plans for next…

When all is done, it’s time to put your feet up and go back through your 2022 apiary notes. Look at the successes/failures you experienced in 2022 and make plans for 2023.

And finally, create that wish list of books, equipment and beekeeping accessories you would like for Christmas and leave the list “accidentally’ but, prominently on display!

Ho Ho Ho!

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November in Your Apiary

November 1, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Autumn Colours

Autumn Colours

Our own Honey Show, the Surrey Honey Show and the National Honey Show for 2022 are now past, clocks have gone back, and the weather is finally starting to look and feel a bit more like Autumn.

October has closed with extraordinarily warm day time temperatures, mild nights and only brief spells of rain. Bees have just continued flying and foraging … and other than shorter days, little to inhibit the queens laying.  

So, once again for the month of November … your bees winter stores may FEEL heavy enough … but, are they really prepared for this winter?

There may be a temptation to assume “job done” if you followed all the advice in “October in Your Apiary”.

But, for many beekeepers there may still be much to do to ensure colonies survive the winter and you are well prepared for the start of the 2023 season.

What happens to the Bees during the Winter ?

Once temperatures do eventually drop and stay consistently below about 12°C (54°F), the bees will enter a dormant state. Flying will cease and they will group together in a ball, occupying cells in the centre of the nest, left empty of stores for the purpose. This is known as the winter cluster.

The bees are not hibernating, in the way queen wasps and bumblebees do, and there is always some activity.

The temperature in the cluster bears little correlation to the outside temperature, and ranges from about 8°C (45°F) in the dense, insulating outside layer of bees, to 24°C (75°F) in the centre of the cluster. The bees here are more loosely packed and are more active. They generate heat by constant muscular contractions-shivering. To fuel this activity, the bees must be in constant contact with their honey stores.

On milder days they are able to move around and relocate the cluster, and a large cluster can move around at will, due to its superior heat producing capacity.

The bees expand and contract the cluster, according to the temperature. When it is really cold the bees on the outside may be unable to maintain their grip and so fall off and die but generally they stay just warm enough to cling on.

Generally, although there is an optimum size, the bigger the cluster the better able it is to maintain an even temperature in the brood nest and any interference disturbs this equilibrium.

Sudden changes of temperature lead to increased activity, this means increased food consumption and possible dysentery if it is too cold for cleansing flights to take place. From now until the Spring only disturb the bees if absolutely essential.

The syrup you fed in September to early October has had time to “ripen” and should now be capped/sealed. There should be approx. 40lbs of sealed stores for a colony to survive a typical winter.

If your colonies still need feeding now or, at any time through to next March, it will be too late/cold to feed syrup & the only viable feed options are:… [Read more…]

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October in Your Apiary

October 1, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Honeybee on Ivy Flower

Remaining ivy (Hedera Helix) nectar flow will be the final crop for topping up winter stores. Despite spells of sometimes heavy showers and dropping temperatures, as long as the weather permits foraging, the bees will collect both pollen & nectar from ivy.

The honey produced is high in glucose and will rapidly crystallize in the comb … and it has a very bitter taste for human consumption!

The first half of October is probably the last chance to combine a small colony with a larger colony. Small colonies are vulnerable to cold winters since, they have problems maintaining an adequate temperature within the winter cluster.

Hopefully, by now, all your 2022 Summer honey crop has been extracted, food stores have been replenished by feeding a thick sugar syrup & you have have completed varroa treatment…… it’s getting very late!

Generally the recommended stores required for the Winter is 40-50 lbs (18-22 kg), and a BS brood frame contains 5 lbs (2.2 kg) of stores, so your bees require at least eight to ten frames of useable stores. Bear in mind that stores of ivy honey, may well become unusable if it sets too hard. [Read more…]

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September in Your Apiary

September 1, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Apiguard Tray on Top of Brood Frames + An Eke

Apiguard Tray on Top of Brood Frames + An Eke

This year, the extreems of hot and dry weather during July and August are still only slighly diminished as we head into meteorological Autumn. It still remains warm and certainly dry enough for late summer foraging 

Autumn may not FEEL as if it as arrived just yet, but the Beekeeper’s Summer season is nearly over and the Winter season commences this month.

The outlook for September suggests rain during the first half and generally overcast otherwise, with daytime temperatures holdng up in the high teens.

Regardless, of the weather, September is (another) one of the busier months in the beekeeping calendar!

The honey crop should now be, or being, extracted, wet supers being cleaned up and returned to storage and importantly, we should already be preparing our colonies for winter.

Specifically for September, key tasks are:

 
1. Check all your colonies are Queenright & viable (i.e. large enough) for over wintering.
2. Be ruthless with a small colony. Combine it with another colony.
3. Complete the feeding of your colonies by the end September
4. If not already started, commence varroa treatment in the first week of September
5. Continue Winter preparations (Yes … they should have started in August!).
  [Read more…]
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August in Your Apiary

August 1, 2022 by 1 Comment

How Many Supers Do You Have?

How Many Supers Do You Have? Leave a Comment at the foot of this piece.

The nectar bonanza is  nearly over!

By varying accounts, the flow is tailing off, if not already ended, after the extreemly hot and dry July weather.

The bees were certainly busy in the heat whilst we were wilting. There have been numerous reports of previously placid colonies becoming more than a little techy by the end of the month. That could well be explained as an understandable consequence of all the extra work they have had to do the keep temperatures in the hive DOWN ! 

Meanwhile, for beekeepers, August remains a busy month of the year! Perhaps avoid adding to your bees frustrations by whipping off ALL their honey stores at once, or leaving them crammed into brood boxes for days whilst supers are off being extracted. Maintain some continuity of space.  

Preparations for Honey Extraction

To ensure you don’t extract “unripened honey” (i.e. the water content is too high & the extracted honey can ferment), only extract capped super frames. Uncapped frames should be consolidated into a single super and returned to the hive directly over the queen excluder. The supers with sealed frames still need to be cleared of bees before final removal for extraction. If there are only a few bees, these can easily be brushed or, shaken off each frame in front of the hive. However, the usual method is to use a “Clearer Board”.

When all the supers for extraction have been removed & securely stored (see ‘Robbing” later in this article) it’s time to plan for honey extraction, varroa treatment & also feeding to build up stores for the winter.

Honey Extraction

There isn’t a single way to extract honey. It very much depends on what equipment you have, how many supers need to be extracted and what facilities you have in which to carry out extraction. With this in mind read more on “Extracting Honey“

Storing Your Supers

Once extraction of supers is completed, what do you do with the supers full of wet/sticky frames? A numbering system to associate each super with its originating colony and return the wet supers to their respective hives to clean them up is a good idea. Return wet supers to hives at dusk, to minimise robbing…to understand why, read the next paragraph on “Robbing”. After a few days the “dry” supers can be cleared of bees and then removed and stacked for winter storage. Supers can be stacked and stored outside (or, inside a shed). Although supers (which have not contained brood) are less vulnerable to wax moth than honey supers, it’s still wise to protect them from possible wax moth damage. Tape the joins between supers to seal them, add a crown board (and seal the feeder holes) and top off with a roof. Some recommend fumigating with acetic acid or, sulphur but, the personal health risks from exposure to acetic acid, in particular are significant. It’s wise not to store used brood comb, if possible since, these frames are particularly vulnerable to wax moth.

Robbing

Colony populations are at their annual peak but, we are now at a period when there may be little nectar around to keep your bees busy. If not already in place, it’s time to put in reduced entrance blocks to make it easier for colonies to defend their hives against robbing by bees from other colonies and also wasps. Weaker colonies are particularly prone to robbing. Make sure that there are no other ways for robbing bees to get into a hive. Look out for growing numbers of bees around the sides, rear ir underside of a hive. Have they found a ‘back entrance into the hive. See what happens when there is a serious case of robbing!

Consequently, it is essential to monitor the integrity of your hives, avoid spillage of sugar solution & ensure supers awaiting extraction are sealed up and moved to a bee and wasp proof location.

Wasps are now increasing in numbers around the hive and can be a particular problem for weak colonies. Early August is a good time to put out some wasp traps to control the population. Click Here for a cheap, easy DIY construction of a wasp trap. Don’t use honey in your wasp trap or, it will also become a bee trap!

Be also on the lookout for hornets, particularly the Yellow Legged Hornet. Find out more about them here. Asian Hornet Update.

Varroa Treatment & Winter Feeding

Yes, it is only August …. and preparations for Winter do already need to be talked about!

When all the supers have finally been removed and stored for the winter, it’s time to plan for varroa treatment of each colony. Apiguard is still the defacto standard for  treatment once the honey crop has been removed and no further crop (for human consumption) is expected. However, there are an increasing number of proprietary treatments so, check with your RBKA contacts which are the most effective. The most common treatment (Apiguard), usually starts in the first half of August so that winter feeding can be completed well before the end of October (when it can get too cold for bees to take down & process sugar syrup). For comprehensive information about managing varroa and it’s treatment read the FERA document Managing Varroa,

If all goes to plan, you are about to steal all or, most of the bees’ winter food stores. Some beekeepers leave a full honey super on the hive, others take all the supers off and feed sugar syrup for winter stores. There is no right or, wrong approach.

There are now only one or, possibly two, significant crops of nectar for bees to add to their winter stores before the onset of winter.

Himalayan Balsam

Himalayan Balsam

Honeybee on Ivy

Honeybee on Ivy

They are Himalayan Balsam (primarily alongside water courses) in late July-September and Ivy in September-October.

Due to the weather variability in October, the ivy crop can be unpredictable so, best to treat ivy as a bonus for your bees.

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July in Your Apiary

July 1, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Super Frame of Capped Honey

Super Frame of Capped Honey

Some may still recall that by this time of year, although not necessarily last year, we expect to be seeing the fruits of all the careful planning, swarm prevention interventions and general husbandry of our colonies as they ripen nicely with full supers. This year, for many, some of that planning and good husbandry has already born fruit with notable Spring honey extractions … and an urgency to get wet supers back on hives because the bees were still bringing in nectar.  Best wishes and good luck to all. But don’t be too greedy, leave enough for your hard working colonies this winter.

Weather forecasts for July are for daytime temperatures holding up in the low 20’s throughout despite some cloud, but remaining dry until the last week.

If your chosen swarm management methodology has worked, you should be rewarded with a a good number of full supers per hive to extract. If you have any small colonies covering only say, 3-4 frames of brood, it’s best to unite with another colony. Small colonies will not produce much of a honey surplus! However, this will need to be done early in the first week of July to take advantage of any remaining summer nectar flow.

[Read more…]

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June In Your Apiary

June 1, 2022 by Leave a Comment

DSC_0146

Hawthorne in Flower

With May having taken a backwards into early Spring like weather on occasions, it could be difficult to believe that June 1st is the first day of Summer. Interspersed with the odd warm day, another unseasonal damp and cool May has ended with northerly winds and thunder storms. Coming out of Winter, strong colonies would have been best placed to make the most of sporadic foraging opportunities. Weaker colonies will struggle, or worse. Check for useable stores and prepare to feed when otherwise expecting to be adding supers. For much of June, daytime temperatures should (eventually) rise to low 20’s.

Any returning hot weather will bring on the colonies. They would have been able to take full advantage of early spring flowering and should have rapidly occupied available space in their hives. With the consequence that the bees thoughts will have turned to swarming, and for the unwary amongst us, those thoughts became action.

Hopefully, despite the damp and cool  May, you should have managed to get into reasonably regular weekly inspections  so where swarming preparations were found, you have been able to divert their attention.

In a strong nectar flow it’s essential to provide space for the rapidly growing colony. by adding an additional super when the first is half filled. Hive congestion, particularly in a strong nectar flow, is a trigger for swarming preparation. Strong colonies filled up to 3 supers last month!

[Read more…]

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May in Your Apiary

May 1, 2022 by Leave a Comment

May Blossom
(Crataegus Monogynus)

After yet another ‘unusual’ April, with a warm start and cool end and below average rainfall throughout, we may need to excuse our bees for not quite behaving as anticipated. Although the cold daytime breezes and off/on sunshine may not hold back the expansion activities of strong colonies, weaker colonies could still be struggling.

If your colonies were not so strong going into winter. Requeening, uniting or wholesale replacement may well be the order of the day.  

So, expect your surviving stronger colonies to be doing quite well thank you and bursting at the seams … unless you are already on top of their management. Whilst any weaker colonies may be struggling … particular after the more recent dip in temperatures.

Don’t be Caught Out

If you are not already, pay particular attention to swarming in May. This month is usually the month in the beekeeping year when activity accelerates very quickly, perhaps doubly so this May. If you are not well prepared, you will be caught out!

The first rape crops and fruit blossom should be in evidence, and when warm enough, available storage space will be being filled with nectar… competing with space the Queen will need for laying.

Strong colonies will have expanded significantly during April whilst weaker colonies could still be struggling.  Brace yourselves for a busy ‘swarm season’. [Read more…]

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April in Your Apiary

April 1, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Flowering Currant

Flowering Currant

April usually signals the start of the new beekeeping year as the colony transitions from winter survival to colony renewal and growth. One again,  March has been dryer and untypically warm … despite some forecasts four weeks ago of a generally wet and chilly month. Consequentially many colonies are likely to be well advanced in their “growth” phase, provided their stores have held out or been supplemented by us as needed. The last few days of March will have brought much of that early spring activity to a shivering halt. But any newly laid brood will need the colony’s ongoing attention. 

Weather during April can be highly variable and may impact on the rate of colony growth and the type of beekeeper interventions required.  And it’s the ability to provide timely interventions when required that will be OUR huge challenge this month and for months to come. 

IF YOU NEED HELP inspecting your own colonies due to self isolating requirements, get in touch with RBKA. Check the Who’s Who listing in this website for some contact details.

Weekly inspections, if not already underway, can commence. However, do not open up the hive for anything more than a very quick peer down between the seams of bees, unless the outside temperature is at least 15ºC, otherwise the brood may be chilled.

At the first inspection: [Read more…]

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March in Your Apiary

March 1, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Bee Hive & Daffodils

The Start of the Beekeepers Year

March is forecast (by AccuWeather for Reigate) to be wet for much of the first two weeks, with temperatures pretty much stuck between 8 and 11degC for the duration. So maybe not quite the ‘Sunny Spring’ ahead that the last few days of February were providing our bees a taste of.

Egg laying will have been prompted by the mild February. But a down turn in conditions will upset the bees planning. 

Regardless …. the beekeeping season definitely gets underway in March!

March is a critical time for the survival of the colony. Despite the mild February, some colonies may still be close to having consumed all their winter stores or the supplements you may have provided. Colony access to both nectar & pollen is critical in March as winter stores are depleted and pollen is required for the developing brood. Natural replenishment can be restricted if there is a prolonged period of either wet or, cold weather.
The queen should have restarted laying and the size of the colony should grow throughout March., even though the old “winter” bees will be progressively dying off. Smaller colonies will be absolutely dependent on good March weather to facilitate rebuilding their food store. [Read more…]

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February in Your Apiary

February 1, 2022 by Leave a Comment

fondant

Clear tubs allow fondant supplies to checked without opening the hive further.

Feed, Feed and Feed.

During last month, and similarly to winter 2021, January temperatures only dropped a little early on, and still very few hard frosts to trouble our bees. January was also  unusually dry and the sunny spells will have warmed the micro climate of a wind free apiary. But the air temperatures remained rather chilly.

February may start as January has ending, generally mild with some rain and sunny spells. But a cold spell could be on its way by the middle of the month. 

So once again you will have been seeing some activity outside of the hive and the queens could be well into laying already.  So do heft or if needed take a quick peek under the roofs to confirm that the bees are making headway into their fondant, and that they still have some to tuck into.

Although this is usually the last of the quiet months for the beekeeper, things will certianly be stirring in the hive as the bees begin to respond to the longer (and unseasonally milder) daylight hours. The queen will be coming back into lay, if indeed she every stopped, and will be depositing eggs in clean cells in the centre of the nest area to raise workers for the early part of the season.
Caretaker activities are important. February is all about making sure that your bees have sufficient to eat and drink, and protecting your hives from the continuing effects of cold wet wintry weather and animals. 

Outside the temperature may still be in single or even low double figures, but with brood to raise the workers need to boost the temperature in the inner nest to 33°C – 35°C, by clustering together and quivering using their large thoracic muscles to produce heat. This requires them to consume an increased amount of food, up to 500g in a week, so we can expect the stores to become depleted more rapidly now.

  • Heft the hives every two week by lifting them at each side, (or weigh them with a spring balance – see BeeNews November 2014 edition for advice about how to do this), and feed only if necessary.
  • If the hive is still well provisioned and you can see bees carrying pollen into the hive, leave the hive alone.
  • If no pollen is being taken into the hive feed fondant or candy, (which can be made from caster sugar and your honey); if pollen is being brought to the hive feed syrup.
  • If you have any doubts about the level of stores, a slab of fondant placed over one of the holes in the crown board is good insurance.
  • Pollen patties can be given at the end of the month on top of the frames. See BeeNews February 2012 edition for advice about how to make patties.
  • Do not stop feeding until there is a steady flow of nectar and pollen into the hive.
  • If the air temperature is over 10°C and the sun is shining you should expect to see a few bees venturing out in search of pollen or making a cleansing flight.

The bees will need water close to the hive.

  • Make sure there is a suitable water source. This can be a plastic container, filled with peat or wood shavings and water. An old car tyre laid flat also makes a good watering place. See BeeNews November 2012 edition for making a DIY water station. Any source should be about 10 m from the hive so that it is not contaminated by bees during their ‘cleansing’ flights.
  • Check all hives for activity.

If most hives are active but one appears inactive, inspect this hive to see if the colony is dead. Any hive which has died should be shut down and if possible removed from the apiary.

  • Ensure all hive entrances are clear, remove any dead bees and any snow.
  • If you treated with oxalic acid and monitored the varroa drop, the tray can be removed to assist ventilation.
  • However, the queen will almost certainly have started laying by now, so you may prefer to leave the tray in place to help keep the brood nest temperature raised. Remember to clean the tray regularly.
  • It is also important during February, if weather permits, to clean your hive floor or consider changing it for a fresh floor, especially if it is a solid floor. But remember to ensure the brood box does not chill, so do the cleaning or changing as quickly as possible, and it is best to have an assistant to help with lifting.
  • Check there are no leaks into your hive. Damp is dangerous, leading to chilled brood and mouldy comb.
  • Continue to check for the unwanted attention of the green woodpecker. They can be a particular nuisance if the ground is too hard for them to find ants.
  • February is often the most convenient time to relocate hives in the apiary that need moving more than 3 feet. If you move the colony after a week when the weather has been too poor for flying, then you can re-site the hive beyond the normal 3 feet restriction. The bees will re-learn their new location when they do emerge.
  • Complete cleaning and making equipment and new frames ready for the season.

Remember if you must open the hive beyond simply checking fondant stores over a crownboard, do it on a warmer day with minimal disturbance, (+13°C is the preferred temperature).

On warmer days the bees will still be housekeeping with mortuary bees removing dead bees and detritus from the hive…. so, make sure the entrances and mouse guards (if used) are clear even if there is no snow/ice around.

With brood already in the many colonies you may wish to buy or, prepare ‘pollen patties’ to help the colony feed the early brood. This is essentially an insurance policy against poor weather preventing pollen collection. Once started, feeding pollen may need to be  continued until there is a good flow of nectar and pollen into the hive. Click HERE to read how to make your own pollen patties and use them in your hives.

February is also the time to tidy up the shed, clean your equipment, prepare new frames and order supplies otherwise, you run the risk of panic in March! Surplus and no longer needed equipment can be cleaned up and put into our Auction in April,

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