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UBKA constitution

What should I be doing now? 

January


Over Winter - 

Treat bees with oxalic acid when broodless.

Check food supplies by hefting the hive, and put on fondant if needed.

 Make sure hive entrances are clear. Bees will be flying on days when the weather is mild and dry.


Roll on Spring.........


October


Finish feeding. When the weather becomes too cold for the bees to take down syrup, then feed fondant instead if they need topping up.


If you heft the hive now when its heavy and full of stores then it will be easy to know when stores become low and they need fondant.


Check that hives are secure in case of windy weather, and put on mouse-guards.


August
 
Honey supers come off for extraction.


Bees are treated for varroa. This is important now as the winter bees need to be healthy.
Bees can be fed with thick syrup to store if needed. This is made with 650ml water to 1kg sugar. Thymol or a thymol based additive will ensure that any uncapped stores do not mould or ferment. Syrup cannot be fed once the weather turns cold.


Hive entrances can be reduced to prevent robbing and wasp traps put out.

The June Gap has come early!

The “June gap” has come early in some parts and stores are low. Keep an eye out and feed if necessary.
May 
Weekly inspections for swarm cells if queens are unclipped and 10-14 day inspections if they are clipped. (Beginners should do weekly inspections either way, to get hive experience).
 Swarm management if cells are found.
  •  Remember Hoopers 5 questions when carrying out inspections. (Space, Stores, Is Queen present, Are there Queen Cells, Health).
  •  Put on supers if there are 7-8 frames of bees.
  •  Don’t let the brood chamber become congested with stores.
  •  Put in frames of foundation for the bees to draw to get clean frames, and gradually move old frames to edge of brood nest to eventually remove.
April 

Now is the time to check our hives. Hive floors and brood chambers can be changed for clean ones when doing early inspections, the old ones scraped and cleaned.
Late March 

1. Check colonies for food. Queens are in lay and many colonies are working through fondant and stores quickly. 

2. When the weather is warm enough carry out the first inspection. If your queen isn’t marked and you spot her during this inspection now is a good time to mark (and clip). Make sure you have everything you need to hand (in your pocket). Be careful not to damage her as it’s early in the season to get a replacement.

3.  Check that there is a laying queen. If there is not, or if there is a drone laying queen, then take appropriate action.

4. On days when it’s warm enough for bees to fly, there should now be pollen going into the hive; a sign that there is brood and a laying queen.

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