We are David and Sheri Burns from Long Lane Honey Bee Farms and Honeybeesonline.com. We have some nice mild days for winter over the next week. This will be good for the bees. The first day of spring is only 32 days away!! That means the beekeeper must: 1) Prepare to make splits 2) Prepare to raise queens for those splits 3) Purchase extra hives for these splits or to catch swarms and the list goes on.
Here are some questions beekeepers face in the spring. How soon to inspect after winter? How do I feed my bees in the spring? How do I make a walk-away split?How do I make a split without buying a new queen? How do I prevent a swarm? Do I split for more hives or keep my hives as one hive for more honey? How do I do that? Will I be able to detect those nasty spring diseases? How do I equalize my hives that made it through the winter? Should I replaced my hives that died with packages or nucs? Is it okay to reuse old frames from hives that died? How do I inspect my hive in the spring? These questions and more are addressed in our ONLINE spring management course. Sign up today.
It would be sad for your hives to make it through winter but perish in the spring.
FREE SHIPPING For Our Busy Bee Special Kit
Last year many of new beekeepers didn't get to start because everyone sold out of bees in the winter. This year we are making a special EARLY BIRD OFFER, so that new beginners can secure a hive and a 3lb package of bees with a mated queen. This kit contains a starter hive which includes a screen bottom board, one deep hive body with 10 wooden frame and foundation, an inner cover and a top cover. This starter hive allows you to add additional boxes to your hive only when needed. Shipping of the hive (the woodenware) is free. Bees are NOT shipped and must be PICK UP ONLY AT OUR TRAINING CENTER IN FAiRMOUNT IL 61841 est. to be 4/28/18. Click here for more info.
Varroa Destructor Mite Spreads Viruses
Honey bees now suffer from so many viruses that are likely spread when mites bite your honey bees. Some of these viruses do not take their toll on a colony until around February or March. All at once the colony begins to crash with plenty of honey in the comb. It's sad. Controlling mites must be started in the spring and continue until your last inspection in the fall. Check out my article on how to test for mites. Learn More
Spring weather can be warm, then cold, nice, then snowy
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The rapidly changing weather of spring can leave your bees starving for food. They start raising more brood, but a cold snap may hold them inside. Since they consumed most of their food in the winter, they can quickly starve on cold spring days. Make sure you have our Burns Bees Feeding System on your hive this spring.
Available for 8 frames hives or 10 frames hives. Screen holds the bees down when you change your sugar jars and pollen patties. If you need more ventilation, just leave one hole open.
On cold days and nights in the spring, the colony clusters high in the hive and is likely not to go down to entrance feeders. This feeder feeds the cluster.
Be Wise About Your Spring Feeding
Some people try to place an entrance feeder on top of the frames of a deep and surround it with a shell of a deep hive body and place a lid on it. This can work if all conditions are right, but the fact that you need to do this means that all conditions are not right. In other words, it is too cold for the bees to go down to the entrance feeder at the opening which means there is way too much heat loss. Heat escapes from the cluster up into the open shell of the hive body. Also the bees need more than just sugar, they also need pollen to keep building up.
So let me give the details the Burns Bees Feeding System.
Your Bees May Do Some Strange Things. What Will You Do?
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Knowing what to do and when is the tricky part of beekeeping. Let me be your mentor. I have a special mentorship program called BeeTeam6 where you can call, email or text me concerns or questions you are having about your bees. Plus you receive a weekly tip and a weekly instructional beekeeping video. Even if you are not keeping bees yet, this is perfect to help you gain the education you need before you start. Or if you are starting this year, why not have the extra peace of mind by having someone you can consult.
Marking Your Queen
A marked queen is beneficial because it aids the beekeeper in identifying the queen more quickly, thus knowing where the queen is so as not to accidentally kill her. It also allows us to keep detailed records on a specific queen, particularly her age and performance. When making splits, the queen can get moved around, so by having her marked or numbered you'll always know the history of that particular queen no matter where you place her. In the past I would occasionally mark certain queens by picking them...READ MORE
Fastest Class To Sell Out Is Our Queen Rearing Course.
Every beekeeper can benefit from knowing how to raise their own queens. It's a pain to have to order a queen and hope she arrives when you need her. Why not learn how to raise your own queen. Raise one queen and you've made your money back for the cost of our online class. Our onsite queen rearing course for May 26th of this year is SOLD OUT. BUT, you can take our online Queen Rearing Course. It's the same course but you can take it from the comfort of your home, on your schedule and start and finish when you want. Click here to sign up today.
Every beekeeper can benefit from knowing how to raise their own queens. It's a pain to have to order a queen and hope she arrives when you need her. Why not learn how to raise your own queen. Raise one queen and you've made your money back for the cost of our online class. Our onsite queen rearing course for May 26th of this year is SOLD OUT. BUT, you can take our online Queen Rearing Course. It's the same course but you can take it from the comfort of your home, on your schedule and start and finish when you want. Click here to sign up today.