BEEKEEPER'S CALENDAR
JANUARY
JANUARY AND THE BEES: The bees are in a tight cluster staying warm and consuming very little food early in the month. On days when the wind is calm and the temperature rises near 50 degrees, you'll probably see a few bees flying out taking a cleansing flight. Since bees do not go to the bathroom inside their hive, they fly out on warm days and this is called a cleansing flight. Winter bees live a little longer than summer bees, but remember, bees live short lives. Many of your bees will die during the winter, just from old age. When bees die during the winter, they fall to the bottom of the hive. In the summer, dead bees are immediately carried outside the hive by their sisters. But, in the winter, when the hive is clustered, the dead bees accumulate on the bottom board. On warm days, other bees might drag out their dead sisters. If snow covers the ground, you will notice more dead bees around your hives. This is normal. Don't panic! It is a sign of a strong hive when they drag out dead bees. But, if you don't see anything, don't panic either. It just means they will probably do this later on.
JANUARY AND THE BEEKEEPER: Monitor your hives to make sure winter winds have not disturbed the tops. Also, make sure after it snows that the openings are cleared of snow so that the bees can continue to get enough air and move freely in and out of the entrance. Winter months are a great time to clean you hive tools, spare hive boxes, wash your suit, and prepare for spring. Remember, other than quickly checking (30-60 seconds) and topping off a top feeder on a warm day, you should not disturb the bees or break apart the brood boxes. If the hive is dead, it will still be dead in the spring...but if you find even a small cluster, disturb it, and break the propolized seams apart you may kill that colony. When it is 50F on a nice day in January or February, it will still drop below zero at night or even the next day. Breaking up the cluster that is still loosely clustered on a warm day will surely kill a colony when they are disturbed and don’t re-cluster properly.Monitor your hives to make sure winter winds have not disturbed the tops. Also, make sure that if it snows, that the openings are cleared of snow so that the bees can continue to get enough air, and move freely in and out of the entrance on warm days. Make sure you join and attend your local beekeeping club, read up on beekeeping, and clean up your smoker and hive tool.
FEBRUARY
FEBRUARY AND THE BEES: Sunlight is becoming slightly longer and the longer, more warm days trigger the queen to start laying significantly more eggs. Their cluster has worked its way upward into the top brood chamber. On the colder days, they are behaving similarly as in January.
FEBRUARY AND THE BEEKEEPER: On a warm day, 50 degrees or more, you can open the top briefly and look in on the hive. Do not remove any frames, as this will chill the brood. Upon inspection you can assess if the colony still has enough stored honey for food. If not, you may want to consider an emergency feeding option. Emergency feeding is just that... an emergency. So, do whatever it takes to get some sugar in the hive. Dry sugar will work, but only if the bees have warm enough days to fly out for water. There may not be many days warm enough in early February for dry sugar feedings or hard candy feedings. Do anything you can think of... after all it is better than letting the hive starve to death. Of course, if you have frames of honey available, that's the best way to feed them, but most of us have sold all our honey by now.
You might also consider placing a pollen patty on top of the upper hive body. This will really work well if the end of winter is extremely mild and there are many warm days. Pollen patties stimulate the laying of more eggs. However, if the weather turns cold again, then the bees may not be able to keep this early brood warm and fed. So, it is a gamble this early.
MARCH
MARCH AND THE BEES: If the hive was low on honey going into winter, then March is the month they may starve out. They have probably moved all the way up in the hive and their overall population is very low due to normal die-outs throughout the winter. The bees are going to be flying more in March, and they will find pollen as the month passes. The queen will start laying at near full capacity in mid-March. The entire hive will begin to return to an almost normal operation now that winter is almost over. There will be cold snaps, but the bees will do fine as they begin to expand. Their need for food will rapidly increase, March is when many hives are lost due to starvation.
MARCH AND THE BEEKEEPER: Continue emergency feeding if needed. As the weather stays consistently above freezing place frame or top feeders in/on the hive and feed 1:1 sugar water, one part sugar and one part water, by volume.
Inspect your hive! March will provide you with a few days when the temperature will rise to 50 degrees or higher. At this temperature you can look in the hive and pull out a few frames. Keep in mind that since there is not a heavy nectar flow, and since it is cooler, the bees might be a bit more aggressive. Beekeepers are stung more during these cold inspections than the rest of the year. So, wear protective gear.
March is a great month to start feeding pollen patties. Pollen patties truly do jump start the hive. The bottom board may contain dead, winter bees. They did their job, so play "Taps", salute them, and toss them in the yard for the mice and birds to enjoy. As the traffic begins to build up at the entrance change your entrance reducers to the medium opening and remove mouse guards.
Remember a quick, early start in brood raising also means your hive strength will increase to the point of swarming much earlier. Remain attentive and reverse your brood chambers as required! This is extremely important as it gives more space for the queen to lay. Simply move the empty bottom brood chamber to the top. .
You'll be able to assess how many of your colonies have died over the winter. Clean out your dead hive boxes and save any honey frames for reallocation into active colonies. We recommend you freeze any brood comb before storing, then store with Para-Moth Crystals not moth balls. This will prevent the spread of wax moths.
APRIL
APRIL AND THE BEES: Now the bees are in full swing. There will still be a few cold snaps, especially in early April, but by the last two weeks the weather is good for bees to rapidly expand and to even start bringing in more and more nectar and pollen. The queen is laying well now. The hive is expanding rapidly.
APRIL AND THE BEEKEEPING: April begins the busiest season for the beekeeper. Inspect all hives and take appropriate actions based upon the condition of the individual hive. Keep feeding your weaker hives until the heavy nectar flow is in progress; feeding helps the bees build up. No supers should be on your weaker hives yet, so their intake of sugar water is not going into your honey product. You are just feeding to help the hive get off to a great start.
Some parts of April can be cold and wet which means that your bees may have limited opportunities to do any foraging. So, you must continue to inspect the hive to be sure they have enough food stores. Also, inspect your hive for any abnormalities. You want to see a solid brood laying pattern from your queen. If not, consider replacing her now!
Once your bees are no longer taking the sugar water feeding, discontinue, put supers on, as the bees are now collecting nectar from a growing number of sources; maple trees, locust trees and other early spring flowering plants and trees.
This is a great time to equalize your hives. You may have to combine weak hives with strong ones. Even though they know better, every year some beekeepers seem to become too compassionate toward a struggling hive, and try to nurse it back to health. Although some success may be experienced, it is usually not worth it. Take the chance that the new hive may be strong enough to split during the summer. After all, a weak hive is an invitation for pests and disease. Strong hives chase away pests and disease. So, your weak hive could spread disease to all your other hives.
RED ALERT!! BEES CAN SWARM AS THEIR POPULATION GROWS.
You should develop a swarm management strategy. Keep in mind that bees swarm as a way of multiplying. It is not a sign of being a poor beekeeper. However, there are some important steps to implement to try to prevent swarming. Keep in mind that you must provide room for your hive to expand.
MAY
MAY AND THE BEES: Bees are in full operation now! The hive is expanding rapidly and the brood chambers are filling up fast. Soon the bees will be working hard filling supers. If insufficient space has been provided in the brood boxes, the bees will become crowded, congested, and probably prepare to swarm.
MAY AND THE BEEKEEPER: RED ALERT!! BEES SWARM IN MAY
Keep an eye on your hives and stop feeding 1:1 sugar when the bees start bringing in significant nectar and pollen.
If you haven’t already, you’ll have to implement a swarm management strategy. Keep in mind that bees swarm as a way of multiplying and it’s not a sign of being a poor beekeeper. We have been talking swarm management techniques over the past few club meetings, so hopefully you are prepared. As a refresher, consider making a split with a mated queen or switching your brood boxes (top moved to bottom and bottom moved to top), and remember don’t break the brood cluster. You can also experiment with a Snelgrove Board to reduce the chance of a swarm. Check out David Burn’s video on the Snelgrove Board setup
When supers are added you also increase the space for the bees.
If you’re just starting out with beekeeping you will add a second hive box to avert a swarm. Add your second hive box when 2/3 of the original hive box is full of – brood, honey and pollen. Any sooner and you run the risk of pest, like small hive beetles, invading your hive.
Consider having extra empty hive boxes on hand so you'll be able to capture a swarm.
JUNE
JUNE AND THE BEES: The bees will be working hard filling supers. They can still swarm during June, so keep an eye out for signs of a potential swarm.
There is no need to feed the mature hives; they are gathering plenty of nectar and pollen. You may see the bees hanging out on the front of the hive at night. This is normal. On hot, and especially humid evenings, many bees will spend the night outside the hive, clinging to the front of the hive or they may form a beard on the hive front. This phenomenon is called "bearding". This would be like you enjoying your cool porch on a hot evening.
JUNE AND THE BEEKEEPER: Continue to monitor your hive. Inspect your hive at a minimum of every two weeks to ensure the queen is laying well. The bees will need water, so be sure to keep a water source near your hives. Bird baths filled with water will help to ensure that your bees stay out of the dog's water bowl and your neighbor's pool. Some beekeepers maintain their feeders full of water (no syrup) to make it easier for the bees to keep cool.
Monitor your supers and add additional ones as the current box reaches approximately 60% full. Your brood boxes can become honey bound if you don’t keep up with adding supers to your hive.
You should begin planning for your late summer honey harvest – equipment needs (remember the club has extractors to loan), purchase jars/containers, design your label, consider a Cottage Food Certificate that allows you to sell honey at farmers markets or in-person.
JULY
JULY AND THE BEES: Since the major nectar flow ended late June, the bees will become much more flighty, searching for nectar which is not as plentiful to find. The bees are beginning the final effort to store up for winter, searching for final nectar sources. Golden Rod and Aster plants may provide some nectar flow in the fall.
JULY AND THE BEEKEEPER: Continue to check your supers! You'll now be removing and extracting your honey.
Most beekeepers begin to consider the amount of mites within hives during July. Most begin to treat, based upon mite count/survey results. However, no treatments can be administered in a hive while supers are on. This could contaminate the honey with chemical residue. If possible, do not use chemicals in your hives but do treat for mites with powdered sugar. However, it is wise to wait until the last summer nectar flow is over and the honey has been harvested before treating with powdered sugar. For our part of Virginia, the summer nectar flow ends about the third week of June. If mites become a problem it will be during the summer and fall months. It is best not to disturb our bees during summer nectar flows unless there is evidence of extremely heavy mite loads. We do not want any traces of powder sugar to be added to the honey, so we wait until our honey is harvested in July to begin powdered sugar treatment program.
Check to see if the colony is honey bound. Raise problem combs and other full combs of honey to the upper brood chamber, and cease feeding. Never raise eggs or young larvae above the excluder as the bees may rear a queen.
If you have multiple hives, you must be careful not to let a strong hive rob a weak hive. Be careful not to open up the hive for extended periods as other hives may try to rob the weaker hive while it is opened.
AUGUST
AUGUST AND THE BEES: The bees are making a strong effort to store up for winter, searching for final nectar sources, which are few. Golden Rod and Aster plants may provide some nectar flow.
AUGUST AND THE BEEKEEPER: This is the start of the beekeeper's year! What you do in August will strongly influence how well your bees do next year, and how well they overwinter.
Some additional things to consider:
1). Consider requeening. You don't have to, if your queen has done well. But it is advisable to requeen in August, no later than September. A new queen means a much younger queen who will be apt to lay eggs more efficiently in the spring.
2). Continue to monitor Varroa mite infestation. Promptly take appropriate action to reduce the mite load early in the fall. The Honey Bee Health Coalition is a great resource for Varroa treatment information.
If you have multiple hives, you must be careful not to let a strong hive rob a weak hive. Be careful not to open up the hive for extended periods as other hives may attempt to rob the hive while it is opened.
SEPTEMBER
SEPTEMBER AND THE BEES: The bees are busy gathering available nectar from Goldenrod and Asters, and other fall-flowering plants. This is their final opportunity to gather stores before the fall frosts. The queen begins to lay the eggs that will be the workers to carry them through to the next spring and is likely in the bottom brood chamber.
SEPTEMBER AND THE BEEKEEPER: September is a continuation of the hive management actions started in August. This is the last month of nearly uninterrupted flight opportunities for your hives.
This is the time to conduct a thorough inspection before the start of the fall cool temperatures. What you do here will influence the success or failure of your colonies for the coming winter.
• Estimate colony strength:
• Combine disease-free, weak colonies with stronger ones.
Note! Exchange or combine equipment from different hives ONLY after establishing that they are free of disease.
• Make sure the queen is present. If you do not find her, be sure that you see eggs.
o Requeen as needed. Check for acceptance in 7 days. Consider routine fall requeening.
• Take off all your supers. There is no need for them now.
• Weigh your hives. This is an estimate unless you decide to invest in a hive scale. Find something around the house that weighs around 70 pounds (10 frame box). Lift it up slightly with one hand. This will give you an idea what 70 pounds feels like. Now, go to your hives and with one hand, slightly lift the back. Only lift it an inch or two so that you can sense how heavy it feels. It needs to feel around 70 pounds. If not, you will want to start feeding the hive 2:1 sugar water.
• Install entrance reducers and mouse guards late in the month.
OCTOBER
OCTOBER AND THE BEES: There are less reasons for the bees to leave the hive. Flying is cut way down. The queen is laying fewer eggs. The bees are now shifting to winter mode.
OCTOBER AND THE BEEKEEPER: This is the time to check your hive’s weight by either weighing or by inspecting your hive frames for adequate honey stores. Prepare your hives for winter. Consider insulating your hive for winter with either a purchased hive cover or use the attached design. Remember instructions are provided for both 10 and 8 frame boxes. Attached is the link
Entrance reducers should now be changed to a smaller opening. You may also want to add a mouse guard to restrict mice from entering the hive.
A word about bees and winter. A large, healthy hive will not die from cold weather. They stay warm by clustering in the hive keeping each other warm. They can survive extreme cold weather. Unfortunately, moisture can develop within the hive as bees do give off moisture as they respirate just like we do. If this moisture gathers above them, it can drip onto the cluster. Bees are much like us. We can be cold and get by, but we cannot stay alive long if we become wet and cold. Bees can get wet in the summer and it is not a problem. It is important to prevent your hive from becoming cold and wet from condensation developing within the hive. Consider adding a candy board to help absorb moisture. A candy board also helps as a food source for the bees. See the link above for over wintering your bees presentation.
Winter winds can be strong, so place a heavy concrete block on your hives.November
NOVEMBER
NOVEMBER AND THE BEES: The bees continue to cluster for winter. They may not yet go into a full winter cluster. They may break cluster frequently on warm days and re-cluster at night. But they will begin to cluster for the winter.
NOVEMBER AND THE BEEKEEPER: Feed your light hives as long as the bees are taking the fluid. Apply your last mite treatment, Oxalic Acid dribble, around the last warm day close to Thanksgiving. This is also a good time to add your candy board and winter outer insulation.
Take advantage of this time to look at refreshing or creating your honey label designs. A great source to help with designing your label is a company called Online Labels and by using their Maestro tool for designing:
Once you have your label designed you can either print yourself or use Online Labels/Maestro. A good source for quality labels is a company called Sheet Labels. When selecting your label material think about options like mat or glossy and water resistant or not. Whatever you pick make sure the label fits the jar size(s) you plan on using. This could also be the time to add a laser printer to your honey business. You can access Sheet Labels’ website using this link:
December
DECEMBER AND THE BEES: The bees are happily clustered in the hive keeping warm having fond memories of how well you took care of them during the season. They will only leave the hive to take cleansing flights on warm, sunny days. Naturally dying bees will pile up at the door of your hive or in front of the hive if it warms up enough for other living bees to carry them outside.
DECEMBER AND THE BEEKEEPER: Relax and review your bee lessons for Spring! Order your bee packages and equipmentso that you can have it ready. Enjoy celebrating Christmas. Stay warm and keep the snow away from your hive entrance. Consider expanding your apiary. Help your local beekeeper organization plan their next year of operations. Merry Christmas!