Disclaimer:

This blog explains how I keep bees. It works for me, it might not work for you. Use my methods at your own risk. Always wear protective clothing and use a smoker when working bees.

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Saturday, March 23, 2019

Spring Chores

Today, Saturday is going to be a beautiful day. The temperature is supposed to be in the 50's. A hive on a warm day like this, can be broken down and the bottom board can be cleaned off. Debris from the winter usually covers the bottom board with dead bees, wax cappings and other hive debris.
 Bring a box with to scrape the debris into.
 The hive can be assessed on their food stores. Just feel the weight of the top box. The bees should be in the top box right now. If the box feels heavy then you should not have to feed. If it feels light, feed syrup. Do not over feed. This can hurt brood production if the hive is full of syrup.
 It is a little too early to do a reversal. Reversals usually happen around April 1st. Even then beekeepers need to look at the future weather. We would like to see temperatures being steady in the upper forties to low fifties for highs during the day for doing reversals.
 If you break down the hive today, restack it the same way it was when you took it apart. The moisture board can be removed for the season. With freezing temperatures going away, the moisture board is no longer needed.
 The winter cover can stay on for another week or so. Depending on where you live. some parts of MN and WI still have plenty of snow on the ground and may experience cold nights.
 If you can't break down the hive today it is not a big deal. But, the hive should be visited and food stores should be looked at. Pollen patties should be on right now and 1:1 sugar syrup or ProSweet syrup should be fed as needed.
 Put the pollen patties right on the bees. If the bees are occupying two boxes, put the pollen patties on the top bars on both boxes.