The Sound Of Spring

The Sound Of Spring

The sun is gathering power and we are experiencing the occasional warm day.

I popped down to the allotment on a sunny lunchtime this week and found my honeybees flying in all 3 allotment hives.  They were happily buzzing away and carrying huge sacks of bright yellow pollen on their legs.  The birds are also getting noisier.  I felt energised!

Successful Overwintering

I also felt I might be becoming a better beekeeper.  4 out of 4 colonies have survived the winter, so far.  I didn’t need to feed the colonies last autumn as it’s a job I want to stop doing.

What I did differently this year:

  1. Taking honey at the end of July, rather than August – this was the key change
  2. Perhaps the Bee Cosies might be helping (but the 2 strongest colonies going into autumn are also the 2 strongest colonies as spring approaches and one of those colonies did not have a Bee Cosy)
  3. Not moving the hives over the winter period

… and as always I did Apiguard treatments in August.

A great start.

What’s Next

Now I need to get my bravery up to open the hives, prepare them for my anti-swarm strategy and add MAQs.

My beekeeping approach for this year (2017) is summarised here: The Five Hour Beekeeper.

Roger With Bee Gym
It’s March 2017 & I’m Back With My Bees!

Author: Roger

regaining my sanity through beekeeping

3 thoughts on “The Sound Of Spring”

  1. Glad to hear how your getting on this spring and glad to hear your bees have made it!! I felt exactly how you felt until I opened up for a quick inspection on Wednesday, in two of my colony’s loads of honey stores still remain and pollen but no brood and no eggs and no queen. I hope you have more success with your first inspection. Kind regards. Richard.

  2. Hi roger ,I’m happy your bees came through winter ,my swarm from last year made it as well so feel like I’m on my way to becoming a beekeeper .they are busy lots of pollen going in have put two supers on to help with swarm control will do inspection in April ,not flying today pouring with rain ,speak soon lin

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