As you get more experienced and the more you talk to other beekeepers in the Society you will realise that the start of the beekeeping year begins at very different times according to your local microclimate. So whatever I tell you my advice must be adapted to your local conditions.
March is usually the first respite we get from the cold spells we endure in February. Of course, just when we think the weather has broken we suffer a late frost. If you have been feeding your bees last month, your colonies may still need some extra food.
My advice is always think about what you are going to do. Ask yourself why are you doing it. There are different reasons for feeding your bees. If the Queen is laying and the workers cannot find much pollen then you will need a fondant pollen replacement feed. If your aim is to feed the worker bees to enable them to fly then a proprietary feed like Ambrosia can be fed or a 1:1 sugar feed made up for them.
If the weather is approaching 15ºC on a sunny day then you may take a a Quick Look in the hive. Again why are you doing this? You may want to check whether the Queen is laying and that there are still sufficient stores available.
APIARY JOBS:
- Tidy up apiary.
- Clip hedging.
- Repair fencing.
- Check stands are still secure
FURTHER ADVICE: