The 2019 beekeeping season was a rough one for many. The weather was extremely cold for overwintering, which was hard on the hives. The 2019 spring brought more cool and wet weather that gave the bees very few good flying days and limited blooms.
Looking to buy a hive? Not sure where to start? Here is a good spot. Some key things to consider: How much time do you have? How many hives do you want? Can you lift boxes over 40 lbs? Read on to learn more about the Langstroth, Top Bar and Warre hives.
No matter which way you choose to wrap your hive for overwintering, the most important parts are to have a healthy hive and ensure proper ventilation to keep the hive dry inside. Bees can keep their colony warm, but they cannot survive damp, wet conditions inside the hive.
Honey entries were a mix from a variety of summer nectar sources. Each honey had its own special shade ranging from very clear to creamy white to darker hues of yellow. Similarly, the tastes varied from rich and creamy to light, smooth and sweet. Event goers also got a special treat with a special tasting of dandelion and blackberry honey.
We have to be prepared for anything as beekeepers, and this summer proved to be an unusual and hard summer for beekeeping in Alberta. In Edmonton, we experienced a late start to the main flow, but when it came -it was fast.
It's time for supers and honey! The main flow is on in Alberta, and your colony can have anywhere from 50,000 to 80,000 honeybees! They bring in a lot of pollen and nectar during the main flow and they need room to store the honey That's why you need to add supers on your hive. During the main honey flow, your hive will gain 5 to 25 lbs per day.
Colonies can go from 7,500 bees in March to 80,000 in July! If you are aiming to have surplus honey this summer, you need to ensure your queen lays well in June. You will also need to add boxes or plan to add a super by mid-June. Learn more about why June can be tricky with weather conditions and early summer dearth.
Not sure why most beekeepers need to do a hive split at the end of May? Here we go over some options for spring management and how it will prepare you for the main flow.
Latest Hiveworld.ca videos show how and why to give package bees the extra care they usually need, explain the importance of splitting your hive to avoid swarms and increase honey production, and discuss monitoring for varroa mites. .
