January
- Periodically heft the hives to assess the stores and feed fondant if necessary, avoid moving the crown board by using an eke or empty super if needed.
- Buy and build any equipment for the coming year and paint and repair any spare equipment. [Keep an eye on sales from suppliers.]
- Attend any Association meetings. Listen to any speakers and more experienced beekeepers to swap ideas and gain information.
- Prepare a book or sheets for hive records.
February
- The days will now be noticeably longer, and brood rearing should be under way.
- Do not open any hives this month
- Continue to heft and feed the hives as necessary.
- Ensure the hives have not been affected by the weather and repair and reinstate as needed.
- Continue to use the time to plan for the upcoming season and build up equipment.
- Continue to monitor the hive entrance for activity and for pollen being collected.
- The forage for February is much as January but with more spring bulbs starting to produce nectar in small amounts
March
- Usually, March is the start of the warmer part of the year but
- never open the hives unless it is ‘shirt sleeves’ weather.
- If there is anything wrong with the bees there is nothing that can be done now until April/May except for feeding them. Monitor the entrance as usual to see how the bees are behaving.
- Continue to heft and feed the hives as necessary.
- Check for pollen being taken into the hive.
- If the hive is inspected, do not disturb the brood nest. Quickly check for any sign of disease (odour or faeces in the hive), stores and bees.
- Close up hives that have perished in the winter. [Remove from the apiary clean and sterilise.]
- Inspect the bottom board for varroa drop.
- Flowering now are blackthorn, willow and gorse, with the start of the dandelion.
image credit:
Bee Hives at St Johns after a snow flurry.
hives at winter5 by Matt https://www.flickr.com/photos/mattx27/