A Year of beekeeping in Rotorua
Basic Outline of the Beekeeping Year for Rotorua.
More detailed information for tasks and monitoring each month and what to do in various situations is covered in the bi-monthly newsletter available to members of the Rotorua Honey Bee Club.
AUGUST:
Prepare for the new season.
Assemble feeding equipment and supplies of sugar.
Maintain apiary site by cutting grass around hives.
Make sure you have enough frames/foundation on hand.
If you plan to split your hives, now would be a good time to prepare all your equipment required.
Check your hive for the first time on a warm and still afternoon in mid to late August depending upon the weather and variation in the seasons.
Diary getting to the club meeting on being prepared for the Spring build up and the important needs of the hive at this time of year.
SEPTEMBER:
Feed if necessary.
Apply varroa treatment as soon as it is warm enough to open the hives.
Check all frames for AFB. Look at www.afb.org.nz if unsure. If you see something that doesn’t look right and you are unsure, contact the club for some advice. Those without a DECA will need to complete a Certificate of Inspection by having a DECA holder with two years’ experience. Check your hive for AFB before the end of November.
Assess the hive. Is it queenright; does it have a laying queen, can you see eggs and larvae? How much pollen and honey does the hive have to feed itself and the increasing brood?
Swarming starts in Rotorua this month. Keep checking for swarm cells.
Stay ahead of the needs of the hive by adding another box of frames before they run out of room and decide to swarm.
Keep grass cut around hives.
OCTOBER:
Check hives for queen every time you work the hive which should be fortnightly now. Are there plenty eggs and brood? Is the brood in a good healthy solid pattern?
Apply varroa treatment if you have not already. Remember honey for human consumption cannot have been gathered with varroa miticides in the hive.
Remove entrance reducers.
Check feed supplies.
Feed sugar syrup if necessary.
Check brood frames for AFB every time you work the hive.
Split strong hives if increasing hive numbers BUT check for AFB first and ensure there are enough drones around. In some hives this may be able to take place in September.
Swarm control.
Requeen hives if required and look out for supersedure and swarm queen cells.
NOVEMBER:
Now the hives are humming!
Keep up varroa treatment.
Feed if necessary.
Control swarms.
Check all brood frames for AFB.
Put on a queen excluder
Add honey supers.
It is important to check hives weekly to keep a look out for swarm cells.
Prepare all hardware for splitting hives or collecting swarms. Remember to quarantine swarms in case of AFB and treat for varroa.
DECEMBER:
Remove varroa treatment when required
Make splits
Add supers for honey storage as necessary
Harvest and extract early crops. Honey removed from the hive before 31st Dec does not need to be laboratory tested for Tutin toxicity. After that date, it must be.
Continue to inspect hives every 10 days to ensure queen is present and hives are healthy.
This is a busy time for bees, and if weather is good the honey supers can fill quickly.
Keep vegetation down around hives.
Ensure bees have access to clean water where they can drink without drowning. Some stones in a plate of water works well.
JANUARY:
Check honey supers and add more as necessary.
Extract honey
Check frames for wax moth.
Ensure bees have enough water available.
If you find wax moth, or you want to protect yourself, place extracted frames in the freezer for at least 48 hours to kill any eggs or larvae present.
FEBRUARY:
Monitor for varroa and treat if necessary.
Set wasp traps, and destroy nests.
Remember to remove honey before applying varroa treatment.
Check for AFB
Extract honey before autumn varroa treatment is put in this month.
MARCH:
Monitor for varroa and treat if not already done so
Harvest honey
Set wasp traps, & destroy nests
Add entrance reducers, or close down entrances to prevent wasp attacks
Extract honey and return wet frames to the hive it came off for clean up, then store securely from mice and wax moths. Check for AFB.
APRIL:
Prepare hives for wintering down. See club newsletter for details.
Monitor varroa numbers after varroa treatment removed to ensure it has worked.
Add feeders if required.
Control weeds/grass around hives.
Render down wax from cappings etc.
Ensure all removed frames/boxes are stored away from mice and wax moth. Put frames in the freezer for at least 48 hours to treat for wax moth.
Ensure all extracting equipment is clean and stored safely for next season.
Put aside any frames or boxes which need repair.
MAY:
Remove varroa treatment on a warm day.
Feed sugar syrup if there is less than 9-11 frames or the equivalent of honey for the bees food supply over winter.
Take empty honey supers off the hives.
Clean up all equipment.
JUNE:
Leave the bees to their cluster.
Clean and render wax
Make up new equipment
Check activity of the hive on warm days by watching the entrance.
Learn how to heft a hive to monitor the food supply
Learn some new things about beekeeping online.
Now is a good time to do any repairs to your equipment, and to do an inventory of what you need for the next season. When you were working your hives in the summer, what were the things you decided you would change for next season? Now is the time to plan for those changes.
JULY:
Same as June.
Ensure hives are protected from chilling prevailing winds, and receive winter sun.
Make up new frames, boxes etc in preparation for the new season.
On a warm day remember to check your food supplies, and top up as necessary.
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