Beverley
Beekeepers' Association
The
local Beekeeping Association for East Yorkshire
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The
Beekeeping Year
The year’s work is described on a month by month basis
starting in August on the assumption that the main flow
occurs in July and all supers have been removed and
extracted by the middle of August.
Late
August / September
This
is the time that work commences to prepare the colonies for
winter. For a colony to over-winter successfully the
following criteria should be met:-
1.
The colony should be disease free – COMMENCE VARROA
TREATMENT NOW!
2. A young fertile queen is required to head the colony.
3. Up to 35 lb of honey is required.
4. A sound and weatherproof hive.
5. Protection against mice.
6. Some protection from prevailing winds.
After
the supers have been removed, examine the colony and
determine the quantity of stores in the brood box. This can
be estimated frame by frame both by eye and feeling the
weight. Feed those colonies that do not have sufficient
stores. As a rough guide one brood frame full of honey
contains about 5 lb of stores. If reduced entrance blocks
were not inserted at the time the supers were removed, then
it should be done now. Robbing is a serious problem at this
time of year when the honey flow stops abruptly. Wasps are
particularly persistent robbers at this time.
Unite any weak colonies and requeen only if required. There
is a danger in requeening at this time of year as the new
queen may not settle well and it will not become apparent
until next spring when the colony will be very weak.
October
Stocks
that have been to the heather will have returned and these
will require checking for stores and feeding, if required.
The final preparations for winter are to be completed and
these are done just before autumn evenings start to develop
a chill and a drop in temperature is evident.
1.
Mouse guards should be fitted.
2. Ensure there is an opening in the crown board to
facilitate adequate ventilation.
3. If woodpeckers are a problem in your apiary, take
precautions against them.
4. Place heavy bricks or stones on the roof to give
protection from strong winds.
November
/ December – January
Apiaries
should be inspected regularly, say once a fortnight, or
after a spell of particularly bad weather to ensure all is
well. The hives should not be touched unless something is
amiss and then care must be taken not to alarm the colony.
Late
March / Mid April
The
work to be done will depend very much on the weather and
whether the bees are flying. On a warm day an examination
can be carried out as follows:-
1.
Change all floor boards in the apiary and collect the
scrapings to check for varroa.
2. Mouse guards should be removed.
3. Start hive record for the new year.
4. Check food stores and feed, if necessary.
5. As the weather improves and the bees start to fly and
forage they will require a nearby supply of water to dilute
stored honey.
April
The spring flow will start during the month. This is the
time that regular colony inspections for swarm control
should commence - weather permitting. It is also the time
when the size of the colony is smallest and therefore the
best time to do those 'spring cleaning' tasks such as
repairing damaged boxes etc.
1. Old comb at the outer edges of the brood box should be
replaced.
2. If any brood chambers are in need of repair, place the
combs in a new box as quickly as possible, but be careful
not to damage the queen.
3. Supers should be added as soon as the two outside frames
are the only ones without bees. It is better to super
sooner rather than later.
4. Any colony which is slow to build up should be examined
for a possible reason. If in doubt consult a visiting
adviser.
May
Usually
a very busy beekeeping month.
1. Weekly inspections continue for swarm control and supers
added as required. The following checks should also be
carried out at the same time.
a)
Are there sufficient stores to last until the next
inspection?
b) Is the queen present and laying normally?
c) Is there any sign of disease?
d) Is there sufficient space in which the queen can lay?
e) Are the bees preparing to swarm?
2
Towards the end of the month queen rearing should start and
preparations for nuclei be made.
3. Removal and extraction of the spring crop may also be
done during the month and will be essential if the bees
have been foraging on rape.
4. Depending on the weather and colony size the reduced
entrance blocks may be removed.
June
The objective is to provide the maximum foraging force and
colony size by the end of this month in order to take full
advantage of the main flow. The colony should still be
expanding and further supers may be necessary. This month
is notorious in the UK for a dearth of nectar and is known
as the June gap. Occasionally it does not happen and the
nectar flow continues until the end of July. If a spring
crop has been extracted, colonies may be short of stores
and will require feeding. This requires care to ensure that
sugar syrup is not stored in supers.
July
The
main flow starts during the early part of this month and
this is what the beekeeper has been preparing for since
last August. The colony should be at its peak population
just as the flow starts. It is all over by the end of the
month.
1. Swarm control inspections continue. With three or four
supers on the colonies it is a hard job lifting them off
for swarm control.
2. When the flow is complete and the crop is capped over it
should be removed and extracted straight away.
3. Reduced entrance blocks should be fitted to reduce
robbing.
4. Wet supers should be returned to the hives for drying
after extraction, unless it is preferred to store them wet.
5. After removing the main crop, any stocks which are
destined for the heather must be prepared and transported.
The essentials for the heather stock are;
a) A current year queen to keep the brood production going.
b) There should be a very full brood chamber with brood on
all frames.
c) The colony should have plenty of stores to last until
the heather starts to yield.
d) Drawn comb is necessary in the supers, as it is usually
colder on the moors.