Idaho Honey Bee

When temperatures are in the 60’s most days, it is time to help your hive grow in preparation for the honey flow. The queen will usually be in the top box, if you winter in two, so find her, and or eggs to confirm she is there, sweep off the bottom board to remove any pollen and dead bees, and then rotate the boxes so she is on the bottom.

Now is the time to check for, and treat for Varroa mites. Choose a method of testing that you like, and test every 3-4 weeks spring though fall. Treat when counts are high, with a product that works at the current temperature, and whether or not you have supers on. It will take some research to understand what works best for you, and when, but keeping mite levels down will make the difference between life and death of your hive in the long run.

 Some folks never feed a hive, preferring to allow them to grow naturally, and that’s ok, but they had better make sure there are plenty of honey frames moved close to the brood nest, or starvation in early spring will be the result.

I prefer to feed sugar syrup when daytime temperatures are in the 50s and 60s to help them grow while waiting for some nectar flow.

You will see them bringing in pollen sooner then expected. It’s the trees that give up pollen first, usually maple trees in my area. In this time frame, the bees increase better if you help them along, with sugar syrup. Skip the small bags of sugar in the grocery store, and buy it in the 25 pound bags. You will use it sooner or later, and it will save multiple trips to the store. Mix it up 50/50 for the spring season meaning equal parts sugar and hot water, by volume or weight, it’s not critical.

There are several styles of feeders on the market. Choose one knowing that they will use about a gallon of syrup per week per hive. Keep feeding until they start ignoring it for the real thing. By feeding earlier than the natural flow of nectar, you trick the queen into thinking the flow has started, so she lays more, which makes for more honey making bees in the hive when the big flow really comes. Lots of sweet natural honey, and healthy bees, that is the goal. Following these suggestions will help.