![]() ![]() Once the bees have a proper home, the beekeeper must cheque the hives regularly to ensure the queen is productive, and to treat for mites and disease. Spring is also the time to monitor queen activity and make sure the hive is not too crowded. In early spring – around March or April – beekeepers should treat the hive for Varroa mites. If diseases are not present, it is advised to remove drawn combs and honey and freeze them to kill wax moth eggs. Late winter is also an excellent time to check for signs of diseases and then begin treatment for prevention. If the bees do not have proper nutrition early on in the year, they will not have the strength to begin foraging when blooms appear. If honey supply is not adequate, the beekeeper will need to supplement feeding with a sugar solution. It is a good time to cheque on the bees to see how much they have left in their honey stores. Dead bees will appear outside the hive, and that is a good sign that overwintering has been successful. The harshest bout of winter weather typically ends at the beginning of February, and the first thing a beekeeper will notice is that their bees have been cleansing the hive. ![]() ![]() But it takes a lot of work during the other months of the year for that honey to be available. Honey is extracted near the end of the summer in Idaho. ![]()
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