Category Archives: Hive Calendar

Hive Calendar – April

Posted on March 23, 2013 by patti

Getting started on the season: evaluate, install packages, splits, combines. On a good warm day (>50 degrees), evaluate existing colonies: – Brood? How many frames? Where? – Honey stores: Adequate, or continue dry sugar feeding? What to do: – Install … Continue reading →

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Hive Calendar: February-March

Posted on February 2, 2013 by patti

If your colonies are alive in February, it means only that they have survived until February. The worst is yet to come. In the maritime Pacific Northwest, you will not know if they survived the winter until they make it … Continue reading →

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Hive Calendar: December-January

Posted on December 19, 2012 by patti

If you left your hives in the fall with plenty of honey, they should still be doing well. However, the long, warm fall without new forage may mean depleted stores. To check a hive, gently tilt the hive off the … Continue reading →

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September Hive Calendar

Posted on September 7, 2011 by bob

Colonies should start back-filling as knotweed begins to flow. Target hives for 60+ lbs of stores by the end of month. Feed colonies that need it. Combine weak colonies (less than 6 frames of brood) or create nucs for overwintering. … Continue reading →

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May Hive Calendar

Posted on May 12, 2011 by bob

Feed new colonies and monitor your existing ones. Spring can be a time of long draw-out rainy spells (this year in particular). Make sure all colonies have ample access to sugar or honey stores. A pollen patty isn’t a bad … Continue reading →

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April Hive Calendar

Posted on April 4, 2011 by bob

Splits/Combines/Install Packages Evaluate existing colonies. Weak colonies should be combined with other colonies. Strong colonies are good candidates for splits. Wait until drones are flying to split w/o queen introduction (creation of queens cells). Install packages in good weather (if … Continue reading →

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March Hive Calendar

Posted on March 7, 2011 by bob

On the first 55°+ F afternoon, go through hives briefly: clean hive bottom boards and clean out dead hives. Feed 1:1 sugar to water if: colonies will not otherwise make it through to the Maple flow. you want to build … Continue reading →

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February Hive Calendar

Posted on February 1, 2011 by bob

Feed any hives that seem light, use the dry-sugar method mentioned in last-month’s hive calendar if the weather is cold. If it warms up to mid-50s you can feed 1:1 sugar water with a hive-top or frame-feeder. It’s still too … Continue reading →

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Pollen Time!

Posted on January 17, 2011 by bob

Although I haven’t seen any yet, pollen season is soon upon us. Start looking for Western Red Cedar in the latter half of January quickly followed by Alder in early February. Both are brownish yellow in color with cedar being … Continue reading →

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January Hive Maintenance

Posted on January 13, 2011 by bob

January is a good time check your hives for adequate stores. You can do this by tilting or lifting the hive and checking for weight. There should still be a substantial amount of stores in each hive this month, so … Continue reading →

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