By: Ann Harman
This article originally appeared in the Summer 2017 issue of BEEKeeping Your First Three Years
• On a day above 60° with warm sun and low wind inspect hive from top to bottom.
• Help the bees by cleaning off bottom board and area underneath hive.
• Clean up any Winter debris from beeyard.
• In bear country, inspect bear and small critter fence; make repairs.
• For good comb select old and damaged comb for replacement during nectar flow.
• If using foundation for replacement, spray with 1:1 sugar syrup with Honey-B-Healthy.
• Depending on weather, monitor food supply – pollen and nectar.
• Feed 1:1 sugar syrup and fresh pollen patties if necessary.
• In small hive beetle (shb) areas, keep inspections to a minimum. Use control methods.
• If colony is weak it can be combined with strong colony.
• Kill the queen in weak colony when combining.
• Call local bee inspector or experienced beekeeper if any disease is suspected.
• Learn the plants and blooming times to prepare for honey harvest.
• Have honey supers ready before nectar flow begins.
• No honey supers on if feeding sugar syrup.
• Learn swarm time in your area.
• Inspect for swarm preparations – drones at entrance, queen cells being made.
• Start your method of swarm prevention.
• Brood chambers can be reversed as soon as bottom one is empty.
• Never split brood area when reversing.
• Reverse every seven to ten days until beginning of strong nectar flow.
• During a strong nectar flow watch the weather – increase or decrease honey supers as needed.
