This Month in the Bee Yard
February
The first hive examination can usually be made in late February. Select a bright sunny day with calm winds and a temperature of at least 60F for this check. This first check should be kept brief so that the brood will not be chilled. Those items that need to be checked are listed as follows: 1) check that the hive still has adequate upward ventilation, 2) evaluate the food stores and 3) check for brood and bees.
1) Check that the hive still has adequate upward ventilation. If there is no moisture found on the underneath side of the inner cover, that hive has adequate ventilation. If moisture is found during this check, put slightly larger spacers or shims on the topside of the inner cover. This will vent more of the warm moist air to the outside instead of forming moisture on the inner cover. This moisture becomes a problem when it drips back onto the winter cluster. The inner cover must have an open center hole for this method of ventilation to work.
2) Evaluate the food stores. If the bees are still clustered in the brood chamber and the super is still mostly full of honey, the food stores should be adequate for now. If the bees are clustered in the top super, check and make sure that they have at least fifteen pounds of reserve honey. Using three pounds for a shallow super frame full of honey and five pounds for a deep frame of honey can be used to make an estimate of the honey stores. If the colony has less than the above-recommended fifteen pounds of reserve honey, then they should be fed. The easiest way to feed a colony of bees is to transfer a few frames of honey from another hive that may have more honey than they need. Another way to feed the colony is to feed sugar syrup. For spring feeding of sugar syrup, mix one part sugar and one part hot tap water. Use an inside feeder such as a jar or pail with four small holes in the center of the lid. Frame nails are ideal for making these holes. With only a few small holes in the feeder lid, it will be less likely to leak out and flood the cluster during night and day temperature/pressure fluctuations. Place the feeder over the hole in the inner cover or on top of the brood frames directly above the cluster of bees. Then place a super or a hive body over the feeder. Be sure and maintain the opening at the top of the hive for upward ventilation. An outside Boardman (entrance) feeder is not recommended in cold weather because it is too far removed from the cluster.
3) Check for brood and bees. Remove one frame at the edge of the cluster and move each frame over as you work toward the center of the cluster. When you get to a frame covered with bees, check for eggs or brood. If eggs or brood are spotted, the queen is alive and laying. It is not necessary to actually locate and sight the queen during this initial check. This is about all that can be determined from this early check. A more thorough evaluation of the colony can be made next month when there should be more brood and the temperature, hopefully, warmer.
Beekeeping supply catalogs are a good source of information and they will be most helpful if and when you decide to order a few supplies. Seven beekeeping supply companies are listed below along with their address, telephone number and their web site. If you plan to order any beekeeping supplies, it is recommended that you go ahead and request your catalogs early so you can have time to review and study what each company offers and then compare prices before you finally place your order. The seven beekeeping supply companies are as follows:
Betterbee, 8 Meader Road, Greenwich, NY 12834, telephone 1-800-632-3379. Their web site is www.betterbee.com. To order a free catalog, click on Request Catalog.
Brushy Mountain Bee Farm, Inc., 610 Bethany Church Road, Moravian Falls, NC 28654, telephone 1-800-233-7929. Their web site is www.beeequipment.com . To order a free catalog, click on Contact.
Dadant & Sons, 2425 Carroll Avenue, P.O. Box 2411, Lynchburg, VA 24501, telephone 804-846-0666. Their web site is www.dadant.com . Their web site does not provide a form for a free catalog. You might send them an e-mail and request a free copy of the Dadant Wholesale Beekeeping Catalog. Their e-mail address is dadant@dadant.com.
Mann Lake Ltd., 501 1st St. S, Hackensack, MN 56452-2589, telephone 1-800-880-7694. Their web site is www.mannlakeltd.com. Click on-line catalog to request a free catalog.
Miller Bee Supply, 11562 North Highway 16, Millers Creek, NC 28651, telephone 1-888-848-5184. Their web site is www.millerbeesupply.com. To order a catalog, send them an e-mail at woodnwas@earthlink.net and request a free catalog.
Rossman Apiaries, Inc., P.O. Box 905, Moultrie, GA 31776-0905, telephone 1-800-333-7677. Their web site is www.gabees.com. Scroll to Click Here at bottom of Welcome page to request a free catalog.
Walter T. Kelley Co., Inc., 3107 Elizabethtown Road, P.O. Box 240, Clarkson, KY 42726-0240, telephone 502-242-2012. Their web site is www.kelleybees.com. Then click on Catalog to order a free catalog. kgp