Calendar for the Management of Beekeeping
April
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From the Rev. Langstroth: Bees will ordinarily begin to gather much pollen in this month, and sometimes considerable honey. As brood is now very rapidly maturing, there is a largely increased demand for honey, and great care should betaken to prevent the bees from suffering, in the very least, for want of food. If the supplies are at all deficient, breeding will be checked, even if much of the brood does not perish, or the whole colony die of starvation. If the weather is propitious, feeding to promote a more rapid increase of young may now be commenced. If any colonies are too feeble in numbers, they must now be reinforced, and should the weather continue cold, for several days at a time, the bees ought to be supplied with water in their hives. In April, if not before, the larvae of the bee-moth will begin to make their appearance, and should be carefully destroyed. |
Apiary Activities for this Month
On a day which is warm enough, the apiarist can de-Winterise the colonies.
- Remove the straw bales,
- Remove the insulation from between the hives,
- Separate the hives so that there is sufficient space for inspections,
- Remove the quilt box,
- Reconfigure the brood chamber, moving the top box to the bottom and vice-versa, and
- Replace the inner cover.
Check for any deadouts. If there is one, now is a good time to clean that hive before the bees rot.
Once the weather seems to have made a permanent change away from the Winter cold,
- Begin inspecting colonies, and continue every 7-10 days
- Look for any signs of diseases, particularly American Foul Brood. (There are some who say that the inspection for AFB should be it's own inspection.)
- Test at least one hive for Varroa. Action is needed if the Varroa mite level is ≥ 2% (2 mites / 100 bees sampled). (see also IPM, below).
- Ensure there are no pollen patties left in the hive. These will encourage small hive beetles.
- Plan to replace any old frames (20% minimum), and
For the hives where the bees are bringing in good supplies of nectar, remove the feeders. This is especially necessary for those colonies expected to yield honey for harvesting
When the weather is good, make any planned splits. Be sure to keep these colonies fed.
Other Activities for this Month
Check honey production equipment to ensure it is in good shape. Especially check:
- Storage buckets
- Honey gates
- Gaskets
- Filters
This is a good time to get the honey production items on order for the coming year. Placing a single, larger order may qualify the order for free shipping. Check to ensure there are adequate numbers of:
- Jars
- Lids
- Labels
- Replacement items as noted above.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
More information is available about Integrated Pest Management.
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Pest Management Controls |
Addresses |
| Cultural Options | |
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Strap the hives to a secure stand. This helps to ensure the larger critters cannot push the hives over (e.g., by a deer rubbing against the side), and stops racoons from opening the top. |
High winds, large critters, & medium sized critters |
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Add drone comb: If the Varroa load is too high, the drone comb can be removed and frozen to kill the Varroa which are in the reproductive stage in the brood cell. |
Varroa |
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Splitting colonies using a walk-away method allows the bees to raise their own queen. This brood break will prevent any Varroa from entering larva cells, and hopefully they will die off for a while. |
Varroa |
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Add beetle traps |
Small hive beetles |
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Place hives on hive stands which are at least 16” high. This makes the smaller critters have to expose their tender underbelly when trying to snag a few bees for dinner. The bees can attack the underbelly and help the critter to choose to go elsewhere. |
Racoons & skunks |
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Add a carpet tack strip to the entrance board to defer critters |
Skunks |
| Genetic Options | |
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You can replace your queen with one which will sire Varroa-resistant stock. That is discussed more in Genetic Stock, along with options. |
Varroa |
| Chemical Options | |
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Action is needed if the Varroa mite level is ≥ 2% (2 mites / 100 bees).
There should be no honey supers on the hive just yet, but they may be added in late April or early May. Take that into account when planning what to use. |
Varroa |
Other IPM Notes
If you are a proponent of screened bottom boards, and you have solid bottom boards installed now, April is the time of year when you should switch from solid bottom boards to screen bottom boards.
Pests not Addressed by this IPM Matrix
These pests are not addressed by the IPM matrix above. If you experience damage from these pests, contact your local bee inspector or the bee club.
- Bears - electric fencing is needed here and you will need to consult someone with experience about that.
More Information
Published Articles
- Wintering Bees in Cold Climates: Fall Management, Preparing for Winter, How to be a Good Beekeeper in January, and Diagnosing Spring Colony Deadouts, by Dr. Christina Wahl, Dr. Linda Mizer, & Dr. Diana Sammataro
Books and Papers
- A Practical Treatise on the Hive and Honey-Bee, 2d Edition, 1857, by the Rev. Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth
Web Sites
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Disclaimer: eMail comments to me at BeekeepingBoK @ Gmail.com. The process of beekeeping can cause injury or be a health hazard unless proper precautions are taken, including the wearing of appropriate protective equipment. |