Busy time ahead for bees as summer approaches
Editorial Department • Published 7 Apr 2011 09:30
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Beekeepers are no on the verge of a new honey season.
In her seasonal report on beekeeping, Ethel Irvine reports on what beekeepers should look out for.
"At last we are on the brink of the new beekeeping season. Honey bees which went into the autumn with young queens, plenty of bees and relatively free of the varroa mite have survived another hard, snowy and frosty winter. The extreme low temperatures meant that bees clustered tightly to keep warm and did not consume excessive amounts of stores. We should always remember that it is damp which will kill bees in winter and not cold.
"I have heard of some losses of colonies and have not been exempt myself but I know the reasons for my two losses. One was a nucleus hive which I knew last August was too low in numbers but I decided to let it have its chance. The second was a colony headed by a queen which was slow to build up for the foraging season last year and obviously she gave up altogether this Spring and the colony dwindled until it was no longer viable. If colonies are lost, about 30 freshly dead bees should be sent to AFBI for testing. At least one member of Fermanagh Beekeepers' Association has followed this procedure and has, at least, the reasons for his losses.
"It is time to look forward. Our bees have been flying during the sunny days lately when temperatures have been above about 10°C and coming back to the hives, especially around mid-day, laden with various shades of yellow pollen (from hazel and willow) showing that brood is being reared in the colonies. Now is the time to stop feeding fondant and to give instead a stimulative feed of 1:1 sugar syrup, if the beekeeper wishes. The theory is that this will encourage the queen to lay more eggs and allow the bees to concentrate on foraging for pollen. However, as the days lengthen and the strength of the light increases, the queen will increase her laying rate anyway.
"The first full examinations of the brood nests in the hives can be as soon as it is warm enough to go outside in shirt sleeves without getting cold. At this first examination, the presence of the queen can be confirmed. We beekeepers are often pessimists, believing the worst until we can confirm what the situation really is. We do not need to see her, although it gives a thrill when we do.
"The presence of eggs and larvae is enough to show that she is doing her job. This is the time of year to mark the queen if she is not already marked since there are fewer bees in the colony and no drones, so the queen is the only 'large' bee present and should catch the eye more easily. Note also the size of the brood nest so that on the next examination it can be ascertained whether or not the colony is building up satisfactorily. Also, check that the brood nest is not full of stores. If the queen does not have enough room to lay, take out some frames from the edges of the nest and replace with frames of drawn (preferably) comb on either side of the brood. "Being a member of a Beekeeping Association is of benefit to all beekeepers. There is always someone to give advice if the beekeeper is unsure of what is happening in the hive. Fermanagh Association also has excellent facilities for extraction of honey and an apiary for demonstrating various procedures in the beekeeping year.
Already this year, our members have benefited from bulk buying of honey jars and Apifondant, a specially made bee food for January use and autumn feeding. Classes are run by members of the Association. The Preliminary class, tutor Andrew Elliott is well under way and the Intermediate class, tutor Ethel Irvine has just completed the course. We wish them well as they sit their examination in April. The Association meetings are not only a source of information with specialists in various aspects of beekeeping giving talks but a social occasion where opinions are shared, problems aired and theories abound.
This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 07 Apr 11
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