Seasons Change.....

​​​

Spring is the time for growth...​

​

I can feel the excitement in every fiber of my being. Warmish days. sunshine, bees flying and bringing in pollen. Opportunities to teach new beekeepers at the College Beginner Beekeeper Short Course (Welcome to all of you New-Bees!) The visual signs of Spring in the purple dead nettle (henbit) flowers popping up, slowly but surely. Overall, just a general feeling of happy anticipation. I know what's coming. Friends in the apiary, new students, bees preparing for natures miracle of swarming, the smell of warm wax and fresh pollen in the hive, the feel and smell of propolis on my fingers. I can hardly wait!

I won't say it has been an easy overwinter--The numbers coming in from around the country are a little alarming. Commercial beekeepers have taken a huge hit this year. They were short nearly 85,000 colonies for almond pollination due to overwinter losses. The heroes at the Beltsville Bee Lab in MD and many other labs around the country have been working tirelessly to figure out why the loss rates jumped this year to more than 60%. Some lost 90% or more. Truly a devastating year for them, what equates to nearly $635 million in losses not counting nuc sales or lost honey production. What we saw here, mimicked the dead-outs from around the nation.  Many colonies, dead in the middle of a frame full of honey. They had been treated, fed, nurtured and cared for and still, the colonies collapsed. We are hoping to have some ideas as to why--soon.  My overwinter loss rates are typically 10-12%- this season 27% already. I am hoping we are done with losses and beginning our build up. 

At last check bees around the region are holding steady.  Some are well into the brood rearing season with recent reports of 4.5 frames of brood with pollen in abundance to support those young bees. We have been seeing capped brood for several weeks. 

What should you be doing this time of year you ask? If you have bees; Feed and treat for Varroa. Get to work; Preparing. Building. Painting. Order your bees if you need them. Cull your old comb (3-5 years is the recommendation to cull the old stuff out. There is a reason...see it and the how to, here Effective Comb Rotation in Your Beehives- Carolina Honeybees. Once processed you can use it to roll onto those new frames with little to no wax on them to improve acceptance. Or make candles, hive products or prepare those honey show entries.

Plant those seeds, bulbs, bushes, shrubs, and trees now. The Daffodils are already close to blooming. It happens faster than you think.

Most of all, enjoy the season. Every step of the prep and reconnecting with bee friends fills me with gratitude at being able to participate in this amazing hobby, with this remarkable community, right here in my rural Southern MD sanctuary.  Have fun y'all

Happy Keeping!

​​​

P.S. Double check your dues to make sure you are paid up--you can do this here on our site at the "Join our Hive" tab.

We will look forward to seeing everyone at the March meeting to enjoy dinner at the meet n greet and welcoming of new members and preparing for the season ahead. 

​​​​

Excellent Tools for Varroa Management

Concerned about varroa destructor? Want to know what to do and when? Then take a look at this link to the honey bee health coalition and use their varroa management tool.       Varroa Management Decision Tool

​

Go to the RESOURCE CORNER page for more beekeeping information