CALENDAR FOR BEEKEEPING IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA

1. CALENDAR FOR BEEKEEPING IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA NOW WHAT DO I DO?? Nancy Ruppert, Apiary Inspector NCDA & CS

2. OUTLINE • WHY A CALENDAR MIGHT BE USEFUL • CAVEATS • WHAT’S ON THE MENU (CALENDAR)? • Q & A

3. WHY A CALENDAR MIGHT BE USEFUL • HELPS ORGANIZE BEEKEEPING ACTIVITY • EASIER TO PLAN AHEAD (IF YOU LOOK AT IT) • REVIEW OF WHAT BEES NEED AND WHEN THEY NEED IT • CAN HELP SAVE SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES

4. CAVEATS • Bees have their own schedules, and they stick to it • This schedule often differs from ours • Climate/temperatures can alter the schedule • Some beekeeping calendars begin in August • Commercial beekeeping operations may have different needs/schedules

5. WHAT’S ON THE MENU?

6. JANUARY • “Bees are ‘hibernating’---can’t we just leave them alone?!?”

7. JANUARY MANAGEMENT • FOOD STORES: IS THE PANTRY FULL ENOUGH? • Usually not much pollen available in December/early January  many hives need supplement (WHY?) • Honey stores may be low (< one full super), so feeding may be essential for survival!

8. LET’S REVIEW NUTRITION • Fat Bees, Skinny Bees by Doug Somerville • “Honey Bee Nutrition” by Dr. Zachary Huang (Bee Culture article, September 2010) • Carbohydrates (honey, nectar, sugar, corn syrup): ENERGY SOURCE, without which bees are D-E-D

9. LET’S REVIEW NUTRITION (cont.) • Pollen---protein source, required for: 1. Raising healthy brood 2. Developing healthy immune systems 3. Royal jelly/food production 4. Developing healthy flight muscles 5. Fat stores for winter bees 6. Pheromone production 7. Wax production

10. LET’S REVIEW NUTRITION (cont.) • YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!!!

11. OTHER JANUARY TASKS • Repair/replace stored equipment (FYI: duct tape may not be the best option) • Order nucs/packages (maybe queens) Demand still outweighs supply • Combine hives if needed (queen failure; hive weak for other reasons unless diseased) • Consider insulating small hives

12. OTHER JANUARY TASKS (cont.) • Bees may need help removing corpses from hive entrance • Move hives that will need relocating this year (hives are typically lighter and less active) • KEEP LEARNING

13. FEBRUARY TASKS • Brood build-up intensifying  keep the pantry well-stocked (especially carbs) Healthy hives: feed thinner syrup • Replace a few (<4) frames if comb old or damaged • In late February, consider adding super or hive body with wax foundation to increase supply of drawn comb (Carbs required for this)

14. FEBRUARY TASKS (cont.) • Consider need to treat for Nosemadisease (intestinal disease, worse when bees can’t fly to take cleansing flights) • Contact local cooperative extension office if you want your name on “swarm-catcher” list • Make plans to attend annual NCSBA Spring Meeting • Continue preparing equipment, moving hives if needed, keep learning

15. MARCH TASKS • Attend NCSBA Spring Meeting---usually first weekend in March (Great learning opportunity!) • Reverse bottom two or three boxes on hive Many hives have moved above bottom box; healthy queen needs more room to lay eggs • Swarming under way  implement prevention/ capture measures

16. SWARM PREVENTION • Reversing boxes • Adding super/hive body • Making splits • “Checkerboarding” • Remove mother queen (short- or long-term) • Remove queen cells (not effective unless done often and thoroughly)

17. MARCH TASKS (cont.) • Feed carbs if needed (thin syrup) • Assess for pest/disease issues (especially varroa mites, American foulbrood, European foulbrood), and treat if needed (Treatments need to be completed by early April to prevent contamination of honey) • Continue to replace old/undesirable comb • Look closely at brood pattern; order new queen if needed

18. MARCH TASKS (cont.) • Late in March, add at least one super • Remove entrance reducers (Bees are BUSY) • Equalize hives---transfer bees/brood from strong hives to weak hives (Caution: make sure you’re not also trans- ferring disease; know why weak hives are weak so you’re not “throwing good money after bad”)

19. APRIL TASKS • Nectar flow usually peaks during this month: • Remove feeders from all but weak/new hives • Be ready to add super every 7-10 days • Make sure that all meds are out of hives, unless required for bee survival • Be ready to install nucs/packages that you’ve ordered; feed upon installation

20. APRIL TASKS (cont.) • Bees should be very busy: closely examine hives that are not; trim weeds from entrance • Swarm season peaking  continue prevention and capture measures • Look closely at brood pattern; replace queen if needed • Consider adding queen excluder (?!!?)

21. MAY TASKS • Nectar flow continues  continue adding supers; get extraction/bottling equipment ready • Swarming continues  continue prevention/ capture measures • Replace failing queens • Install traps for small hive beetle if needed (i.e., >20 adult beetles seen in hive)

22. MAY TASKS (cont.) • Plant annuals for future nectar/pollen sources • Set up “watering holes” for your bees, if not already present

23. JUNE TASKS • Main nectar flow dwindling  not as many supers needed • If sourwood in your area, consider harvesting all desired honey before mid-June, to ensure more “pure” sourwood honey crop • If honey being harvested, put “wet” supers back on hives late in day to limit robbing

24. JUNE TASKS (cont.) • Late-season splits may be started; FEED • Continue measures to control hive beetles • Keep water constantly available • Make plans to attend NCSBA annual Summer Meeting in mid-July

25. JULY TASKS • BEE READY TO SWEAT!! If your bees are healthy enough, take a break

26. JULY TASKS • Small hive beetle population peaking---crush and/or trap early and often: there are not enough control options to save a hive if you get behind on this task!! • May harvest some (or all) of honey; continue late-season splits; keep water available • Attend NCSBA annual Summer Meeting

27. JULY TASKS (cont.) • Get empty supers on if hives near cotton fields • Replace failing queens, and consider replacing all queens that are two years old or older • Can begin thorough assessment for varroa mites, and treat if needed/practical

28. AUGUST TASKS

29. AUGUST TASKS (cont.) • Can still make late-season splits in early August if mated queen available • Pest control is critical this month: hive beetle populations are peaking, as are varroa; risk is HIGH for damage from wax moth larvae • Replace all failing queens: August is usually your last chance to do this before spring

30. AUGUST TASKS (cont.) • Unless your hives are near cotton fields, harvest desirable honey, to keep bees from eating it • Keep water constantly available for bees • Be prepared for “bad bee behavior”---very little nectar available; often HOT weather; robbing starts to peak

31. SEPTEMBER TASKS • Continue pest control measures; varroa control measures should be completed by end of September • If hives are exposed to but not sickened by American foulbrood, apply preventive treatment (terramycin) • Consider Nosema assessment/treatment

32. SEPTEMBER TASKS (cont.) • May feed thin syrup in early Sept. to stimulate egg-laying; during last week of Sept., change over to thicker (2:1) syrup to enhance food stores, especially if no heavy fall nectar flow • Should have brood in bottom box; if not, may need to rearrange things • Combine hives late in month if weak (and not diseased) and/or have failing queens

33. OCTOBER TASKS • Post-treatment varroa assessment---i.e., did your treatment work? • Combine hives if needed • Remove all queen excluders, if present • Drones being expelled in most hives • Feed thick syrup, if needed • Apply entrance reducers near end of month

34. OCTOBER TASKS (cont.) • Limit hive inspections---bees are using more propolis to seal cracks, and waste lots of time and energy if they have to keep replacing it • Plant (in October and November) herbaceous perennials for future nectar/pollen sources

35. NOVEMBER TASKS • Combine hives if needed • Continue feeding thick syrup if needed • Ensure adequate ventilation near top of hive • Provide weights (brick, rock, concrete block) to prevent hive toplessness • Plant trees for future nectar/pollen sources (maple, tulip poplar, sourwood, etc.)

36. NOVEMBER TASKS (cont.) • Consider closing off screened bottom boards to help retain heat in hive • Bee caught up before Thanksgiving, so you can enjoy/relax

37. DECEMBER TASKS • Combine hives if needed • Feed thick syrup if needed (i.e., not more than one super full of honey stored up) • Consider insulating small (< 4 frames full of bees) hives if no other hives available to combine • Sell honey to Christmas shoppers • Year-end review/assessment of apiary successes and challenges • Leave bees alone, if possible (TAKE A BREAK!)

38. QUESTIONS?