Tag: Beekeeping advice

June 2026

Winter losses should just be a memory except if like me you have ended up with only one colony. This has led my plans for 2026. Do I split my only colony or hope I can pick up a healthy swarm.

I was sitting in the garden summoning up the energy to split my colony when the decision was taken out of my hands. I was just dosing in the sum when the unmistakable hum of the bees change from a gentle background noise of bees carrying out their daily business to one of urgency. As soon as I clambered up the slope to the apiary the sky was awash with bees flying in all directions. Time to suit up and collect my swarm kit.

By the time I reached the house it was clear that the swarm had taken temporary residence in a low lying branch in an apple tree next door. On with the suit. Smoker lit. Swarm box in hand I went next door and up to the apple tree. The bees were nowhere to be seen. But there was a commotion back in my garden. The swarm had decided to take over the empty hive next to their home base. Thus completing the split I had planned.

The usual ‘June Gap’ when there is a dearth of nectar has been short with the early abundance of bramble flowers. Just check your hives to make sure your bees have enough stores to take them into July.

February 2026

This is a hazardous month for our colonies and without opening up the hive we can’t know for sure what is happening inside. Resist the temptation -but observe from outside. Despite the constant rain recently my bees have been flying out during sunny spells.

The amount of daylight is increasing every day even if the ambient temperature continues to take dips. Some workers may be tempted to make foraging flights in addition to ‘cleansing’ and removal of dead bees. If they bring in pollen, this may fool the queen into an early start of egg laying. The worker bees then must look after the nursery and this can lead to the rapid depletion of stores. Look at the varroa board to see if uncapping debris is accumulating.

Heft the hive to see if the colony needs feeding. This is a bit of an art rather than a science. Can you really remember how heavy that hive was when you last hefted it?

If there has been no activity at the front of a hive on a mild day when the sun has warmed up the hive entrance, alarm bells may be ringing. This may be the exception to the rule of leaving well alone. Lift the roof and look for evidence of activity. I leave a piece of perspex over the hole in the crown board to look through. The bees may of course have clustered away from this source of colder air. If you have first inspected the varroa board you will know where the cluster is. Quickly lift the crown board – are the bees where you expect them to be. If all is quiet, have a sniff. Any unpleasant smells may indicate a problem. Perhaps the smell of mould or worse still a smell like acetic acid which catches your throat like vinegar. You need advice!! More than I can give here.

Jobs for the month

Now is the time to check that stored supers have not been infested by wax moth. I have recently joined a Men’s Shed and made a cover for my stack of supers. Hopefully this will not blow off like the last lid.

If you have not already done so, get the blow torch out and clean up the corners of the boxes. If there is wax damage on frames then remove all signs of the moths. Better still, remove the frames from the box.