SPRING! What do you need to do, and when do you need to do it?
Check out David Clark's "Spring Calendar" to see his timing strategy, and view his class to see how he does it. (Click for link to class)
Notes:
1) Timing will change from year to year and location to location, but the order of events is consistent.
2) This is just the start of our ongoing project to add timings to Montgomery County beekeeper To Do lists. We'll keep expanding, so keep checking back!
Clark's Calendar
| APPROX DATE | NATURE'S CUES | ACTION |
|---|---|---|
| March 17 | Consistent daytime temps above 50 degrees Early spring flowers in bloom | First Major Hive Inspections - Get condition of hive - If it's low on bees, leave it alone - Medium sized, check again in three weeks - Full of bees, split in April once drone cells are capped and drones on comb |
| April 1 - 30 | Drones are emerging | Split Packed Hives - Leave queens in main hive; transfer young larvae to nucleus hive - By end of April - if the old queen is weak, recombine nuc with original hive. Otherwise keep or sell nuc |
| April 15 | Add Honey Supers to Main Hive - Add supers before 80% of existing frames have nectar | |
| May 1 | Check-Up - Check honey supers - decide whether to add another honey super - Check brood boxes for queen cells (swarm cells). It is a balancing act is between giving them room to grow but not too much space. | |
| Weekly Thereafter | Inspect every week for swarm control all the way through the middle of June |