What to do in the apiary this month...January
Happy New Year!
Your bees are flying at every available opportunity. They are consuming stores at an alarming rate. Check what stores they have left by gently lifting them from the back to test their weight. If you’re in doubt or if your bees are congregating in great numbers near the top of the hive having eaten their food reserves they will appreciate a present of fondant. Wrap it either in cling film or in a plastic bag, seal it, make a slit in one side and place it, slit side down, over the feed hole. Check it regularly, preferably weekly, and renew as and when required since we may not yet have had our real “winter”. Make sure you remove any fondant that is left before the first honey flow begins.
You could try treating your bees with a proprietary oxalic acid solution as there is little brood at the moment but do follow to the letter any instructions with any product you buy. Do this early in January if at all possible.
Check that your hives are sound and waterproof. Are the entrances a sensible size? Look on the underside of the lid to see if there is excessive condensation there. You may need to raise the lid a little to improve the airflow and here the old trick of inserting a matchstick at two corners may help. Keep an eye out, too, for overwintering queen wasps which may have sneaked in under the roof.
Are the mouseguards intact? Are there any signs that rodents have been looking for free food and lodging in your hive? How are you deterring woodpeckers? Plastic bags cut into strips, placed near hives and allowed to blow in the wind may frighten them off as may CD’s similarly draped.
Have you checked those stored supers for wax-moth damage?Have you made any new frames ready for the new season - a task which can easily be done indoors in the warm. Keep your foundation in its airtight packet and don’t put it in until you need it.
Have you decided how you want your beekeeping to develop this year? What equipment will you need to order and from where? Make this a year to improve your beekeeping skills and knowledge. You might even consider taking some beekeeping exams!
As a final reminder - don’t forget the AGM and Members Show on January 21st. It is at The Christie Hall, Wansford – a place we’ve been to in the past. All members should have a reminder in the latest newsletter. Just follow the signpost.
… and they call it ‘the quiet season’!