|
|
|
|
Greetings Hello,
|
The March BeeGroup meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 17 ☘️ at 6:00 PM at the Olive Free Library.
|
This month we’ll discuss making spring nucs as a way to prevent swarming and increase your apiary. As always, we’ll leave time for questions and open discussion, so bring your questions and join us!
|
Summer Bee Yard Meetings
|
We are currently putting together the schedule for our summer BeeGroup meetings, where we gather at a member’s bee yard and walk through a hive inspection together.
|
|
These meetings are always a great opportunity to learn from each other, look at frames together, and discuss what we’re seeing in the hive.
|
|
We are looking for a few more volunteers to host this summer. If you would be willing to have the group visit your bee yard and go through a hive inspection, please let me know. We are trying to lock down the schedule soon and could use a couple more locations.
|
You don’t need a large operation to host. Even a single hive is plenty, as discussion and looking closely at frames usually means we rarely get through more than one hive anyway.
|
Winter Dead-Out Clean Up
|
If you experienced any winter losses, it is important to clean out dead-out hives as soon as possible to prevent mold and damage to the comb.
|
|
A cluster of dead bees contains a surprising amount of moisture. When a tight cluster of dead bees remains between frames, mold can quickly begin to grow as temperatures warm. As soon as conditions allow, remove the frames and brush off the dead bees so air can circulate freely between the combs.
|
|
Don’t worry about dead bees that remain inside the cells. With good airflow between the frames they will usually dry out rather than mold, and the bees will easily remove them when the frames are reused. Trying to pull them out yourself often causes more damage to the comb.
|
|
You can knock some bees out of the cells by lightly tapping the top bar against a firm surface, but there is no need to remove every last one. Be careful not to damage the comb. It takes far more effort for bees to repair comb than it does for them to remove dead bees.
|
|
Personally, I like to clean off the bottom board and then stack the empty hive bodies with the boxes rotated 90 degrees from each other. This creates good airflow through the stack and helps everything dry out.
|
|
If you notice minor mold on a frame, you can drench it with hydrogen peroxide and place it in the sun to dry. The bees will take care of the rest.
|
|
However, if more than about one-third of the frame is moldy, it is usually better to cut out the comb and let the bees rebuild it.
|
|
|
|
|
Get Those Swarm Traps Ready
|
I know we’re not quite through winter yet, but when spring arrives it tends to come quickly. Now is a good time to get your swarm traps prepared while you still have some breathing room.
|
|
Ideally, traps should be in place by the end of April, before swarm season begins in earnest. Putting a trap out once you already see a swarm clustered in a tree rarely works. By that point the bees have already committed to moving somewhere specific.
|
|
Also, don’t feel like you need to spend money on expensive commercial swarm lures. In my experience, the best swarm lure is simply an old brood comb frame. Nothing smells more like “home” to a swarm of bees than previously used brood comb.
|
|
If you're interested in building your own traps, I wrote a blog post a few years ago that covers my swarm trap design, placement tips, and a build plan.
|
|
|
|
|
March Beekeeping Notes
|
March is a transitional month for the bees. The colony is beginning to grow again, but resources in the environment can still be limited.
|
Expect brood production to increase.
The queen is beginning to ramp up egg laying as daylight increases. This means colonies will start consuming stores much faster than they did in mid-winter.
|
Keep an eye on food stores.
Late winter and early spring starvation is still one of the most common causes of colony loss. If a colony feels light, consider feeding sugar or fondant until natural forage becomes reliable.
|
Watch for the first pollen coming in.
On warm days you may begin to see bees returning with pollen from early bloomers such as maple, willow, and skunk cabbage. Pollen coming in is a good sign that brood rearing is underway.
|
Resist the urge to inspect too early.
Opening hives too frequently during cold weather can chill brood. Quick checks for food are fine, but full inspections should wait until temperatures are consistently warm.
|
Start preparing equipment now.
Spring buildup and swarm season will be here before you know it. Having extra boxes, frames, and nuc equipment ready now will save a lot of scrambling later.
|
|
Queen 16 Days, Worker 21 Days, Drone 24 Days...Capped by 9th Day...
|
Please check the Resources section below...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A team from the University of Freiburg led by neurobiologist and behavioral biologist Prof. Dr. Andrew Straw studied the flight behavior of honey bees. Using a drone, the researchers tracked honey bees as they flew between their hive and a food source about 120 meters away in an agricultural environment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forever chemicals may threaten European honey bee colonies in Australia
|
|
|
A University of New England study has found PFOS can affect the weight of juvenile bees, posing an existential threat to hives.
|
The research also found the forever chemicals were transferred to honey in a lab setting.
|
|
|
|
Bee Humor...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Photos of the Month...
We’re always in need of photos to feature in the newsletter! Please email your submissions to beegroup@hvhives.com.
|
|
This is from my friend Ken in Pennsylvania. A swarm moves into his observation hive. I would have never believed that would happen, or at least I would never be that lucky :-P
|
|
|
|
|
Resources:
|
BeeGroup winter education session
|
|
Hive Thermodynamics and Winter Prep
|
|
Rob Overton presentation to Northern Dutchess Bee Club - 2025
|
|
Trinity of Soil, Plants, & Bees
|
|
Tom Sotiridy talk from HVH April 2025 Meeting
|
|
Critical Thinking Beekeeping
|
|
Rob Overton presentation to Wake County Beekeepers - 2022
|
|
Commercial Queens-Nosema and Low Sperm Count
|
|
Recommended Reading and plans
|
|
Beltsville Lab: If your bees die, please send a sample to the Beltsville Lab in Maryland. The analysis is free and they will email you the results. They check for Nosema and Mites. Please share results with Rob so we can help keep tabs on what is happening within the BeeGroup.
|
|
NOSEMA: Treatment Procedure
|
|
SABA (Southern Adirondack Beekeepers)
|
|
Lots of great information - many articles, lectures and seminars by various people in the worlds of beekeeping.
|
|
Dave Cushman Beekeeping Website
|
|
A Quick Reference Guide to Honey Bee Parasites, Pests, Predators, and Diseases
|
|
A few videos that you may find of interest
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Queen 16 Days, Worker 21 Days, Drone 24 Days...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
