Spring Action ahead?

The following are some comments and direction brought to you from the Bee Yard of Randy Dixon. We would very much like to add another couple of authors to this blog. If you are interested in just posting your observations or adding insight into the season please email me or add to the comments section of this posting and I will respond to you. This will be an excellent weekend to possibly open boxes.

1. Start feeding and pollen supplements this weekend if you haven't already, 2-1 sugar water is best for this time of year. 2 parts water 1 part sugar. Do not stop feeding until bees can support themselves with bloom. They will starve to death in next few weeks faster than any other time of year. Feeding will begin to prime the pump for spring. The problem occurs when you build up to much and we end up with a late spring or lengthy cool spell.


2. Watch laying pattern and flip bottom box to top when 6-7 of the deep super frames are full of brood and pollen. Put empty frames in middle so bees will finish filling them out.


3. Now is good time to replace any ragged or dark frames with new foundation. Be sure and wait until several days of flight weather so you won't bust clusters up inside hive.


4. As brood production goes up, start watching for mite levels to increase. They will be easy to find in drone brood cells on larvae. Safest treatment this close to flow is powdered sugarn use 1/2 cup sprinkled on top bars per box. Brush down into hive so it wont get on larvae as it acts like a dessicant on them. Really too close to flow to use hard chemicals unless you insist.


5. Watch laying patterns and rotate frames as needed to give queen laying room. A poor pattern will indicate time to replace queen, but they are hard to get this early in season. Suppliers won't sell them until after package shipping season. Check and reserve one early. Local queens won't start being available till up in May at earliest.


6. Go to bee school at KSU March 13. Phil Kraft has info loaded on his web site. www.ky.agr.com/bees.

Troy Simpson and I have both noticed a higher than usual food consumption rate due to this weather in January and February. I had several starve with honey only inches from them because they coudn't move to it. Start checking as soon as you can to get on top of situation. I expect fast and furious if this weather pattern doesn't get more normalized soon.