Hives and Spring
Overview
Spring is when you kick-start the season of activities. Spring can be quite volatile and the weather unpredictable.
- You don't want to get the brood build-up started too soon, or a heavy frost could kill them off. Or it could cause the winter bees to work too hard to keep them warm.
- Conversely, if you don't get the brood built up soon enough, you won't be able to take advantage of the Spring nectar flows, including some which really make great honey: cottonwood trees and honeysuckle.
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Spring is also when many hives swarm. You need to ensure the colony has space to grow.
Conversely, this is also a great time to catch swarms, adding to your number of colonies, or beefing up a smaller one. If this is something you want to do, be sure you have the equipment to house the bees you catch.
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Finally, Spring is a great time to do any splits you might be thinking about doing. Properly timed, the split colonies will have adequate resources to really beef up to becoming quite strong.
More Information
Web Sites
- Spring Beekeeping Management, from Bush Bees
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Disclaimer: eMail comments to me at BeekeepingBoK @ Gmail.com. The process of beekeeping can cause injury or be a health hazard unless proper precautions are taken, including the wearing of appropriate protective equipment. |