Honey Bees: Top Ten Checklist for Spring Beekeeping

In this posting I cover the steps you need to prepare your hives for Spring.  

This weekend the temperature was in the 60's Fahrenheit again and the bees were actively bringing pollen and nectar back to the hive.  I decided it would be a good time to check on the colony and make a decision as to whether or not to add the first honey super.  

I opened both of my hives and the news was very good; both colonies have capped brood in them.  That means that the queens have survived the Winter and are still producing.  One colony was actually still pretty full with honey so I removed a few of the frames and replaced them with new ones which will provide the bees with some additional space for additional. I also replaced one frame in the other hive that had a damaged top bar.  

Last Fall, I noticed that small hive beetle had found their way into both hives. During this first inspection, I found a few surviving beetles, but the numbers are still sufficient low that they can't cause much damage. I prefer to use non-chemical mean to control pests, so I'm using a device called a "Beetle Blaster" to deal with these little devils.

If you are unfamiliar with these devices, Beetle Blasters are small traps that get filled with a little vegetable oil and then are placed between two frames.  There are a series of holes in the top of the trap that are large enough for the beetles to crawl into, but too small for bees. Once beetles enter the trap, they fall into the vegetable oil and perish.  The traps are disposable, so once they get filled you just throw them away and replace them with new traps.  I replaced a few of the old Beetle Blasters in my new ones during this first inspection and made a note to order a few more. (Beetle Blasters can be purchased from suppliers like Dadant for $1.50 each.)

Given that the bees looked like they were in good shape and that daytime temperatures are likely to be in the 60's for the foreseeable future, I decided to put supers on both hive. 

Timing Spring Maintenance:

The rule of thumb for bee keepers is to do your spring maintenance once you've past the first frost date for your area.  Technically, that date is March 30th here in Northern California. However, in our part of the country, tree and flower species begin blooming in January, so I generally do my first inspection of my hives at the end of January or beginning of February if the temperature has been warm enough.

If you are unsure about when to do a first inspection and maintenance in your area, reach out to other bee keepers or post a message to an online message board to find out when other experienced bee keepers in your area are working on their hives.

Check List For Spring:

1. If you are in a colder part of the country, remove any additional insulation you placed on the hive in the Fall.
2. Widen the entrance reducer to allow more traffic in and out of the hive.
3. Do a preliminary inspection to see if there is brood in the brood chamber and to determine if pests or diseases are present.  If so, you'll need to plan the appropriate strategy for dealing with them. 
   
4. If the hive is weak, and there are no brood or eggs present, plan on ordering a replacement package for the hive.
   
5. If your bees are OK but are running low on honey, provide additional food. (In my area this has never been an issue but in colder climates it is more common for this to occur)
   
6. Replace any old combs or broken hardware.
7. Clean the bottom board or any debris or dead bees.
8. Add a super and a queen excluder.
9. Place an order for any new woodenware or hardware you might need.
10. If any of your hives are weak or have died out over the winter, place an order for either a new queen or a new package.
    

For Those Considering Becoming Bee Keepers:

If you are thinking about becoming a bee keeper this year, you need to place an order for your first package of bees in the next few weeks.  The bees will be delivered in April.  In addition, check out my prior posting on the equipment you need to keep bees as you will also need to order your bee boxes and other equipment soon in order to have them arrive in time for the beginning of the season.

Medieval bee apiary illustration