Seasonal Management
What to look for……What to do
Jan 15 - Feb 15
1 Check colonies for food. [ See Note # 1 ]
2 Check colonies to see that they are still alive. [ See Note # 6 ]
3 Check entrance guards.
Feb 15 - Mar 15
1 Check colonies for food. [ See Note # 1 ]
2 Check colonies to see that they are still alive. [ See Note # 6 ]
3 Check entrance guards.
4 Check for brood rearing.
5 Spring Medication [ If not doing I.P.M.method ]
Mar 15 - April 30
1 Check colony for good laying queen. [ Requeen ? ]
2 Check colony for disease.
3 Clean bottom board. [ Remove scrapings from bee yard ]
4 Remove entrance guard. [ See Note # 2 ]
5 Check and replace defective comb/wooden ware
6 Remove all burr comb (take out of yard).
7 Reverse brood supers [See Note # 3 ]
8 Make splits/ nucs [ For possible increases ] [ Control swarming ]
9 Add Honey Super / Supers
10 Flip inner cover over [ Shallow side down ]
11 No medication on bees.
April 30 - July 15
1 Check colonies to see that they are O.K. and strong
2 Add honey supers [ As required ] [ See Note # 4 ]
3 Maintain bee yard condition. [ Keep grass down ]
July 15 - Aug 15
1 Remove honey supers.
2 Check for AFB. [Before removing supers from yard ]
3 Take honey supers home and extract
Aug 15 - Sept 1
Do fall medication [ If not using I.P.M. method ]
Sept 1-Oct 1
1 Check colony for good queen [ Requeen ]
2 Remove medication strips if being used
3 Reverse inner cover [ Deep side down ]
4 Place honey supers back on bees [ Above inner cover ]
5 Combine weak colonies [ ? ]
6 Place entrance guards on bees [ See Note # 2 ]
7 Feed colonies if required [ See Note # 5 ]
After first killing Frost
1 Remove honey supers
2 Check colony for good cluster
3 Check colony for winter stores. *
4 Continue to feed if required [ See Note # 5 ]
5 Check entrance guards.
6 Place wooden block between inner and outer covers.
7 Place weight on outer cover
Notes
1 Do not use jars over inner cover
2 If using reducer type
3 Top box should be near full of Bees / Brood before reversing
4 When bees start to show sign's of building Burr Comb
5 Jars may be used above inner cover until first killing frost
6 If not. Seal colony up to prevent any bees from entering or remove colony from yard and place in an enclosed location until you are sure it did not die of A.F.B. [ Contact the Bee Inspector for an inspection Tel # 609-292-5440 ]
Quantity | Equipment Required |
---|---|
1 | Bottom Board |
2 | Deep Supers [ w/Frames & Foundation] |
1 | Medium Super [ w/Frames & Foundation] |
1 | Inner Cover |
1 | Outer Cover |
1 | Block Spacer |
1 | Mouse Guard |
1 | Queen Excluder |
Feeder [ Various Types ] | |
Medications | |
1 | Bag Menthol |
1 | Terra Patty |
2 | Apistan Strips |
2 | Check Mite Strips |