Our bee season is about to get real

Everything is on the upswing. Days are getting longer, the temperatures are warming every day, the Chickadees are singing their fee-bee song. Spring is on the horizon. The next few days will be nice out. Hives should be inspected for alive or dead and food stores. A hive can be opened for a quick peak. A good hive has about five frames of bees, a weak hive has two frames of bees. A weak hive with two frames of bees, will likely not build up without adding frames of brood to over the course of the spring. Package bees should be ordered if your colonies dead or weak. I always used the strategy of, if the hive is dead, order a package for it even if you have another strong colony. Too many times I have seen beekeepers plan on a split, only to have the overwintered hive fizzle out. Then the beekeeper is left with few options. By starting a deadout with a package, if the overwintered colony makes it and a divide can be taken from it. The divide can be added to the package of bees with the newspaper method in mid May. The package will build to a strong honey making colony with the extra bees.
 Looking ahead to this coming weekend. March 1st is almost here. Pollen patties can be put on overwintered colonies. You can make your own or buy the pre made patties. I usually purchase pre made patties. The manufactured patties are as good as I can make.
 When I first started beekeeping, we had to make our own pollen patties. The best pollen powder at the time was BeePro. Now there is UltraBee. Which in my opinion some of the best pollen substitute on the market today.
 Here is a video I made 10 years ago on how to make pollen patties with powder.



 The only way to improve on the pollen patties, is to mix in natural pollen.
 Some beekeepers trap pollen during July and August. Pollen traps are used. Pollen can be put on cookie sheets to freeze. The freezing will help dry out the pollen pellets so the pollen doesn't mold. Best to keep them in the freezer until spring. Never purchase pollen from a store and use that with your bees. This is a quick way to give chalkbrood to the bees. Only use your own pollen or pollen that has been irradiated treated.
 Don't dawdle on ordering bees. Suppliers will start selling out soon and bees will start getting hard to come by.
 I am excited, next week I am putting on my gear and start the next chapter of beekeeping.