By: Ann Harman
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2020 issue of BEEKeeping Your First Three Years
Goal-all comb drawn by end of June, colony numbers increasing
• Feed package bees or nucs 1:1 sugar syrup.
• Feed pollen patties until fresh pollen is available.
• In small hive beetle (shb) areas, use caution with pollen patties.
• Watch returning bees at entrance for evidence of pollen collection.
• Keep entrances small until colony numbers increase.
• Inspect hives only when weather permits-warm sun, low wind, temperature above 60°F.
• Keep colony inspections as brief as possible.
• Inspect for presence of queen from eggs, young larvae.
• Monitor queen performance with brood pattern.
• Replace queen if original is dead or is not laying enough eggs to increase colony numbers.
• Lightly spray foundation (Langstroth hives) with 1:1 sugar syrup with Honey-8- Healthy® to stimulate drawing comb.
• Move follower board (top bar hives) to keep up with comb construction.
• Add next brood chamber (Langstroth hives) only when previous one has 90% drawn comb.
• Do not consider a honey harvest until all brood chambers have 100% drawn comb and colony is full of healthy bees.
• Bottled sugar syrup is not honey! Do not put honey supers on when feeding syrup.
• Learn seasonal nectar and pollen plants in your area.
• Learn about your bees’ foraging area, whether urban, suburban or rural.
