Varroa treatments should now be complete remove strips such as Amitraz to avoid building resistance by varroa mites Mouseguards should be in place along with woodpecker protection Heft the hive to judge the level of stores. It is now too late to feed syrup as it cannot be processed, only use fondant wrapped in cling film … Continue reading →
All feeding should be finished as the bees cannot process the syrup in low temperatures Clean feeders and store Up date records if you have united colonies / update BeeBase Check hives for gaps or damage Remove vegetation under hives to avoid damp Repair then store equipment Fit mouseguards Prepare insulation if using Protect hives from … Continue reading →
Treatments should have been completed, making sure you have read the instructions and know if and when you need to remove them to avoid resistance. Boards should have been monitored and a note made of the best and worst colonies for varroa loads. use this information next year when rearing queens. Unite small colonies. They are … Continue reading →
If you have not already done so , you may want to extract this month. Give the bees space to go into or push down into the brood box by putting clearer boards on Place supers back on the hives they came from. Remember honey is a food product and should only be stored in food … Continue reading →
Keep an eye on swarming with regular inspections. Bees that have been cooped up in bad weather may swarm when the sun shines. Check the queen has space to lay, you may have to remove stores and if disease free give to another colony or freeze. Replace with drawn comb or foundation placed in the middle … Continue reading →
Extract Oil seed rape before it sets in the comb If you remove supers make sure there is enough stores in the brood box and feed if necessary Make sure the queen has space to lay and the brood box doesn’t fill with stores Swarming has been increased this year as the weather was so variable … Continue reading →
Normally there would be a nectar flow but if it has been cold and the bees aren’t always able to get out, watch stores and feed 1:1 syrup if needed Make sure there is room for the queen to lay. If filled with stores remove a frame or two and replace with drawn comb or foundation … Continue reading →
If this is your first inspection check the colony is queenright. Look for the queen or eggs Make sure the queen has space to lay, you may need to remove a frame or two of winter stores and replace with foundation If it is warm enough do a full health check , shake the bees of … Continue reading →
. On warmer days the bees will be flying. Do not go into the hive until at least 15 degrees or the weather is really settled . March can be warm in the day but temperatures still plummet at night. If you have fondant on the colony, check if the bees are still taking it down. … Continue reading →
Continue to heft to check stores. Feed fondant if in doubt. If feeding fondant, check if it needs replacing and that it’s over the cluster. You may have to rotate the crownboard so the hole is closer to the bees. Look under the hive to locate the cappings as an indication of where the cluster is. … Continue reading →