Hive Calendar – May

Feed new colonies and monitor existing ones. New colonies should have ample sugar syrup or honey in frames.

Warm weather came early this year. Especially in overwintered colonies, watch for signs of swarming: backfilling brood cells with honey, overcrowding, and swarm cells. Be prepared to super if you haven’t already done so. Remember, it’s not polite to allow swarming in populated areas. To manage swarm tendencies, have a plan and enough equipment to execute it.

If you plan to requeen in the spring, do it during a good spring flow — which is either right now or you just missed it.

Nectar sources: Maple, locust, horse chestnut, dandelion, clover, raspberry, native blackberry.
Pollen: Late-blooming fruits varieties, dandelion, Scots broom, blackberry.

Patti Loesche, Bob Combs