Thebeekeepingyear is n’t set in stone . bee work in tune with the seasons , and how and when you work your hive will variegate from region to neighborhood and yr to yr . Still , you could watch a general plan for what to do throughout each time of year to ensure sizable bee and a productive honey crop . employ this calendar as a pathfinder , and talk with local beekeepers to refine the timing . study which qualify to view for to dispatch the tasks .
January
The source of the yr is the time to buildbeekeeping equipment , long before you put it to use . It ’s much easier to do it now rather than throw together for gear when your package arrives or you capture a cloud . In many regions of the nation , the bees stay in the hive in January except to go out for occasional cleansing flight ( to take a crap ) on warm days .
“ January is kind of hands - off , ” says Marina Marchese , owner of Red Bee Honey in Weston , Conn. “ We really do n’t open up the beehive . If there ’s snow at the entry , clear it off to make indisputable there ’s ventilation . ”
February
Linda Tillman , a sea captain beekeeper in Atlanta , says February is an important time to make certain the hive has enoughhoney . This is peculiarly true in the South , where the conditions is milder and bee are more active instead of cluster to outride warm ; however , northern bees also need adequate store to hold their hive temperature through cold spells .
Carefully raise an end of the beehive to gauge the free weight of the trench ( the two boxes that make up the main physical structure of the beehive ) . You want your hive to weigh at least 50 to 70 Syrian pound at this time of year .
“ I ’d rather feast honey than anything else , ” Tillman says . Honey is healthier for the bees than a sugar - based feed , as it contains all of the necessary enzymes and vitamins that the bees want . Tillman retains skeletal frame of dearest that she can slide into the beehive as needed during the winter .
However , if you do n’t have honey , you may habituate another case of feed . If Marchese ’s hive feels sluttish when she lifts a corner or end of it , she put fondant or a candyboard inside to feed the bee .
March
The calendar month of March can storm beekeepers because many bee starve during this clock time of the twelvemonth , Marchese warns . Continually check the system of weights of your beehive , and prey more honey if necessary .
“ Since [ the bee ] are moving and expending vigor , you want to check that they ’re feed , ” Marchese read , though she claim a fairly hands - off approach . “ We might launch the hive on a fairly warm day . ” During this meter , some northerly apiculturist treat for jot before the nectar catamenia begin .
Tillman recommend that beekeepers in the South focal point on drove prevention early in the calendar month by checkerboarding — alternating empty brood frame and honeycomb above the brood chambers to make outer space for the bees or , rather , make them consider that they have more blank space . In an unmoved hive , the brood chamber check the orchis and hatching larvae is situate in the shopping centre , and checkerboarding propagate out this field . It does n’t require additional honey ; just move empty honeycomb ( a frame with drawn - out wax ) into the position from which you remove a human body with brood on it .
April
By April , southern bee hive are moving full - steam ahead into honey - fashioning . “ Add box [ to your hive ] , ” Tillman articulate . “ You want to keep up with the dear provision . ”
beekeeper in cooler region will go through a slower start during April . The bees commence bringing in pollen for the time of year , so it ’s metre for a thoroughgoing beehive review .
“ I open up the hive , ” Marchese aver . “ I desire to see what ’s going on . It accept some time before you get to a point where you may read the bee ’ behavior . ” She bet at the shape of the comb , whether the queen mole rat is laying eggs and if the bees are bringing in pollen . This also is a honest time to look for signs of beehive pest and disease .
May
May is the heyday for northerly hives . “ You should have a nice buzz of natural process at the entrance , ” Marchese enunciate . “ You should smell wax and honey at the beehive . ”
When you open up the hive , look for nectar and pollen stores , and make indisputable there ’s a nice laying pattern in the brood chamber . Also keep an heart out for pullulate behavior . overthrow boxes to make the bees think they have more space , and identifiy queen cells . Once region plant life begin their ambrosia catamenia , you’re able to place a super on the beehive .
In the South , bee are in use during May . “ You ’ll get down get wind cap beloved , ” Tillman articulate . At this point , but check your hive to ensure the fag is awake and busy laying ball .
June
“ The conditions is nice , and the bees are in full swing , ” Marchese says . Every June , she check her beehive for a beneficial laying pattern and a healthy fagot . “ I might contribute more supers , ” she notes . Southern beekeeper can get rid of the superintendent and harvest their love .
July
In northern state , beekeepers should be crest nectar in July , Marchese say . She removes the entrance reducing agent to allow the bee to properly cool down their hive .
In the South , bees have finished raise beloved , so it ’s sentence to split the hive and create more to give the bees time to build up their own honey supply before wintertime . By set the queen and half of the hive in a new settlement , Marchese leaves the remain beehive queenless . “ That imply there ’s no brood for 42 days , ” she says . “ That might solve your varroa jot problem . ” ( Beekeepers should look for jot at all times , though . )
In the Appalachian neighborhood , July is the best metre for apiculturist to tot supers to their hives to gather sourwood - honey harvest home . Other areas might take advantage of later - time of year ambrosia flow rate .
“ By now , you should be think about winter , ” Tillman says . “ Your bees are through with their work . ” Prepping for wintertime entail compound weak hive , excrete pest and watching honey computer memory .
August
Marchese recommends replacing the entrance reducer in August to give the bees a good chance to ward off thieve lily-livered crown . For specially risky robbery showcase , she ’ll conclude up her hive for 24 hours , but otherwise prefers to leave the bees alone during this time . With no significant nectar flow , they become hungry and more active .
“ verify they have a good pollen store , ” Tillman suggests . hold back dearest stores , too . If you wish well , you’re able to aim a monotone - cellular phone foundation soma in the beehive for a chemical - free method acting of mite control .
September
In northern DoS , beekeepers might experience a late - time of year ambrosia flow from goldenrod and wildflowers , but Marchese says it ’s acceptable to feed sugar syrup to control the bee build enough honey reserves for the wintertime . Once the beloved supers are removed , employ chemical touch command . Always do this before or after honey product to avoid chemical pollution .
“ check that the hive has enough system of weights , ” Tillman says . A beehive with two deeps and a average superintendent should weigh between 120 to 130 pounds .
October
In all regions , check your hives for pests and adequate honey militia . “ [ At this sentence ] , we commence feeding [ sugar sirup ] , ” Marchese say . Using reserved love stores bring , as well .
November
Feeding proceed as long as the bees can habituate the sugar syrup . Marchese advocate putting on mouse sentry duty and ensure the ingress reducing agent is attached at this time .
December
“ Get ready for the farseeing , cold wintertime , ” Marchese says . arrest handle for mites . Other than to remove the airstrip used to master jot , do n’t open your hive .
At this sentence , “ I ’m enjoying my product of the hive , ” Tillman enounce . It ’s also a good time to read new beekeeping book of account and make a wish list of items such as a beekeeping suit , equipment or even a different race of Honey bee for the next season .
understand these HobbyFarms.com articles for more beekeeping tips :
Excerpt fromBeekeeping , part of the Popular Farming Series , with permit from its newspaper publisher , I-5 Publishing , LLC .
