Nature's Nectar LLC will be closed on Saturday May 6th.
We will be open longer hours to sell queens and supplies for the upcoming weekend.
Wednesday noon - 6 pm
Thursday 8 am - 6 pm
Friday noon - 6 pm
The cold weather has really thrown a wrench into hive expansion. The bees are doing OK, but the cold has the bees unable to spread out like we would like. The warm weather is coming and things will be back on track soon. The 2 lb packages will be hatching new brood starting sometime this week. Their hives will be showing an increase in bees. Beekeepers who had all drawn comb may be adding a second box in a week or so. Beekeepers drawing foundation on the 2 lb packages are still expanding their comb in the hive. A second box is on the horizon for you. When the bees have drawn out eight of the 10 frames it will be time to add another box. Don't wait for them to draw out the very outside frames, the bees almost never do those frames. I usually will move them in one frame from the outside so the bees will work on them.
Over wintered colonies are still moving forward. There are so many bees in these colonies that the cold does not stop them from getting bigger. While the cold has stopped the bees from foraging and has held back the swarming, the upcoming warming trend may change all that. Swarm prevention protocol should be in force with the rising temperatures. Check the colonies for swarm cells on a seven day cycle. Cut the cells before they are capped. If you find capped swarm cells, your hive has probably swarmed. Divides are happening now and for the next three weeks or so. Put honey supers on overwintered colonies now. This warm weather will definitely get the nectar coming into the hives.
Mite checks should be done on overwintered colonies to see what the mite load is. Some beekeepers have been treating for mites already this season.