Calendar for the Management of Beekeeping
May
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From the Rev. Langstroth: As the weather becomes more genial, the increase of bees in the colonies is exceedingly rapid, and drones, if they have not previously made their appearance, begin to issue from the hives. In some locations the bees will now gather much honey, and it will often be advisable to give them access to the spare-honey receptacles; but in some seasons and locations, either from long and cold storms, or a deficiency of forage, stocks that are not well supplied with honey, will exhaust their stores and perish, unless they are fed. In favorable seasons swarms may be expected in this month, even in the Northern States. In Texas I have seen them issue early in March, and in some of the Southern States they are quite common in April. These May swarms often issue near the close of the blossoming of fruit trees, and just before the later supplies of forage, and will sometimes starve, if the weather becomes suddenly unfavorable, unless they are fed. Even if there is no danger of this, they ought to be fed when food is scarce, or they will make so little progress in comb-building and breeding as to be surpassed by much later swarms. The Apiarian should have hives in readiness to receive new swarms, however early they may issue or be formed. If new colonies are to be made by artificial processes, the proper methods should be taken to secure a seasonable supply of queens. I ought previously to have stated that a queen nearly mature, may be known by having the wax removed by the bees from the extremity of her cell, so as to give it a very brown appearance. |
Apiary Activities for this Month
Remove all feeders.
Continue to inspect colonies every 7-10 days
- Starting this month, and continuing thru October, test at least one hive in the apiary Varroa. Action is needed if the Varroa mite level is ≥ 2% (2 mites / 100 bees sampled). (see also IPM, below).
- Ensure to add supers as necessary. Bees which are too crowded are more prone to swarming.
- Remove supers once they are ≥90% capped and extract the honey.
Other Activities for this Month
Remove yellow jacket traps from apiary; leave them elsewhere in the yard.
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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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 or replace beetle traps as necessary. |
Small hive beetles |
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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 typically the time of year when you should switch from solid bottom boards to screen bottom boards. But you can do it in May if you have not yet.
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
Books and Papers
- A Practical Treatise on the Hive and Honey-Bee, 2d Edition, 1857, by the Rev. Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth
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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. |