March - April 2008

Rotate your brood boxes for swarm control but DO NOT ROTATE boxes if it splits the brood cluster.   If the cluster is centered or near centered between the two boxes so that the top half of the brood cluster is in the bottom of the top box and the bottom of the brood cluster is on the top of the bottom box DO NOT ROTATE.   If you do, the brood cluster will be split and separated.   Should real cold weather occur, the bees may not be able to cover both of the separated brood clusters in which case they will abandon one and cover the other resulting in a sizeable brood kill.

1.       Heft your hives and feed if light.    Right now is a critical time for food stores – bees need lots food stores to start the spring crop of brood.   Colony loss can occur quickly right now.

·        If you wish to stimulate brood rearing, fees a 50/50 (by volume) mixture of granulated sugar and water.   If inexperienced be careful, as improper control of a stimulated colony will near always result in swarming.

·        If feeding to prevent colony loss (starvation) feed a saturated sugar solution.

· I find that I can dissolve 25 lbs of sugar in 2 gallons of water by heating the water to near or at boiling then add the sugar in about 3 steps.   Do not allow sugar water to boil as it can cause "burning" of the syrup which is unhealthy for bees and can cause diarrhea.

· Stir continuously until sugar is fully dissolved.   

· Don’t add the sugar, then turn on the heat and leave or otherwise allow the sugar to become caramelized as caramelized sugar is not good for the bees.   

2.       Get your new wood wares built and painted (external parts only) ASAP so the paint can cure before you introduce bees.   Bees inserted into freshly painted hives will often abscond.   This could be a $50.00 package or a nice swarm.  

3.      Get your new frames built, wired and ready for foundation.   

·        There is no rush in getting foundation in deep frames to be used for new colonies.   Honeybees seem to like the smell of new comb so put it in, if you have the time flexibility, just before you need it (a week or so).

·        The same rule applies for supers but you have more flexibility there.   If you will be using both drawn comb and foundation, and have the option, place one drawn frame in frame position 1 followed by 7 frames of foundation and place a second drawn frame in position 9. 

·        For volumetric efficiency, 10 frames is fine in all brood boxes.

·        For production supers, use 9 frames if foundation (even if the outer two are drawn) or 8 frames if all drawn comb.  

·        Since bees maintain 3/8 to ¼ inch workspace, fewer frames yield thicker combs.   Thicker combs are easier to harvest however to few frames with foundation can result in random comb placement that is a bear to get out at harvest time.   

4.      If you are starting from packages, get them on order NOW. 

5.      If purchasing splits, get them on order NOW. 

6.      If making splits, if you use live queens, get your queens on order NOW. 

7.      You should treat all colonies with Terramycin spring and fall.

·        See alabees.com (click on medicating your bees) for details.

·        Follow medication product labels to the letter.  

·   Get all medication out of the colony 28 days before honey production. 

8.       Get your swarm traps ready and put them in place ASAP.

9.      If you have old frames and or hives to clean, do it now so as to have time for repairs and repainting, if necessary.

10.  Get ready for swarms.   It is a few weeks before swarm time but the first swarm near always surprises you. 

11. Get started on weed control by cutting the grass around and in front to hives. 

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Last update 3/9/08 BRF