Morgan County
IN THE HIVE: -In September, the queen will slow down egg laying and the brood area will diminish. -This month signals the end of the second swarm season. -Varroa mite population, if left untreated, peaks around August/September. -Nectar resources become less abundant. -Resin/propolis collection continues. -The bees can become more defensive at this time of year as they protect the stores in their hive and they protect against robbing. They also do their robbing of other hives. INSPECTION & NUTRITION: -Continue to perform thorough colony inspections this month, as it will be the last month until spring that they can be done. -Thorough inspections require the hive to be open longer periods of time, which can help other bees rob the hive. Don't rush the inspection but be efficient. -Things to take note of this month are hive weights, number of bees and location of honey stores. -Brood pattern may be more difficult to evaluate because of the drop off of egg laying this month. PEST MANAGEMENT: -Continue to monitor Varroa mites constantly. 3 mites per 100 bees is the signal for treatment. -Remove drone cone foundation for the rest of the year. -Look for signs of Nosema. -Apply chemical mite control once supers have been removed. COLONY POPULATION: -If you have a weak colony that won't make it throught the winter, decide now whether or not to cull it or combine it with a stronger colony before winter comes. - Don't move anything around that will affect brood pattern this month as the bees are now rearing winter bees. BEE YARD & ENVIRONMENT: -Extract fall honey immediately to prevent small hive beetle infestation. -Fall honey may need to be warmed in order to filter it as it will granulate more quickly than spring honey. BLOOMING NOW: Goldenrod is still blooming abundantly, Sweetclovers, Asters, Thistles, Purple Loosestrife and others. Honey that is heavy with Goldenrod can have a distinct "smelly sock" odor, so don't be alarmed if you smell this.
0 Comments
It’s offically summer time! What better way to enjoy the season than with meals that highlight the carefree sunny days. We are back in the hive kitchen today, sharing another excellent seasonal recipe. This time, we have chosen a protein packed main dish that will have you licking the fork! July's feature is Honey Garlic Glazed Salmon posted by the Chunky Chef. Sticky sweet and garlicky, this glazed salmon recipe comes together in just 20 minutes. Serve this delicious dish with rice, a cool salad, or roasted veggies from the garden. Enjoy! Ingredients: SALMON:
IN THE HIVE: - Watch for bearding outside the hive as it gets hotter this month. - Varroa mite population can explode if left untreated. - Swarm season will wind down mid July. - Remove entrance reducer in hotter months, like July to aid the bees in cooling down the hive. INSPECTIONS AND NUTRITION: - Continue once a month hive inspections. - Another note about dearth of forage, if you collected spring honey, you really need to monitor honey stores in the hive. - Provide a water source near the hive. PEST & COLONY MANAGEMENT: - Continue to monitor Varroa mite levels and use treatment methods and management as mentioned in May and June. - If you do split a hive, placing the queen in the new hive along with half of the colony, the original hive will not have a queen. For at least 42 days there won't be any new brood, affecting Varroa mite populations in the hive. This might be a method to help combat Varroa problems in your colonies. - This could be the last month to split your colonies during the season. The bees will need enough time to build up their supplies for winter. - Add a queen excluder if you haven't already, to manage honey supers. - You may need to remove supers if you are treating Varroa mites with chemicals. BLOOMING NOW: Early Clover, White Sweetclover, Yellow Sweetclover, Apple, Cherry, Plum, Pear, Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Deadnettle, Elderberry, Black Locust, Honeysuckle, Tulip Poplar, Hawthorn, Autumn Olive, Oak, Willow, Dandelion, Russian Olive, Milkweed, Purple Loosestrife, Yellow Rocket, Chicory, Hairy Vetch, Purple Vetch, Grape, Sumac, Knapweed, Catalpa Trees, Birdsfoot Trefoil. IN THE HIVE: - The hive population will be at its highest this month and the next. There wil be 40,000 - 60,000 bees or more per hive. - Larger colonies will continue to rear drones. - Varroa mites will continue to increase. INSPECTIONS & NUTRITION: - Perform hive inspections at least once a month now, checking brood pattern, colony growth, available space, presence of the queen or evidence she is laying. Check for pests and diseases. - Add supers if brood chambers are full and the hive population is still growing. - In the South, beekeepers can remove supers and harvest honey this month. PEST MANAGEMENT: - Monitor Varroa mite levels. If after sugar shake, alcohol wash or ether roll testing, you find 2-3 mites per 100 bees, use a Varroa mite treatment. - This is a good time of year to treat against Varroa mites by caging the queen or making splits to break the breeding cycle. COLONY MANAGEMENT: - Use the same swarm control methods as May. - Add a queen excluder if you haven't already. - Still time to catch a swarm, set up swarm traps and bait with lemongrass. - Foundation will be drawn out. - It might be necessary to extract spring honey depending on the size of your colony. - Extract honey immediately upon removing supers to prevent small beetle infestation. BLOOMING NOW: - Early clover, White Sweetclover, Yellow Sweetclover, Apple, Cherry, Plum, Pear, Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Deadnette, Elderberry, Black Locust, Honeysuckle, Tulip Poplar, Hawthorn, Autumn Olive, Oak, Willow, Dandelion, Russian Olive, Milkweed, Purple Lossestrife, Yellow Rocket, Chicory, Hairy Vetch, Purple Vetch, Grape, Sumac, Knapweed, Catalpa, Birdsfoot Treefoil. |
© 2010-2023• WHITELICKBEEKEEPERS, West-Central, Indiana • Contact Us
|