Bees in the spring: where to start, the rules of preparation and further care

Spring is considered quite an important period for any beekeeper. Caring for bees in the spring has a number of characteristic features. During this period, it is required to carry out a number of works, eliminate the consequences of wintering and create favorable conditions for the cultivation and development of strong families. To do this, it is necessary to provide sufficient food supplies, suitable temperature conditions, and high-quality honeycombs. Disease prevention is of great importance.

Where to start?

Spring work is required to begin with the preparation of the site for the apiary. The following should be taken into account:

1. Calculate the required area to accommodate the bees that survived the winter. Where snow cannot be removed, ash can be used. The optimal interval between hives is 4 meters.
2. So that the bees do not land on the cold ground after returning from the first flight, straw or hay should be scattered around the point.
3. Prepare hive stands. They can be made by hand or purchased ready-made. It is important to create a slope from the notch.
4. Clear the apiary of debris and large branches. When the weather is fine, it's worth setting up the hives.

Bee show

Hives need to be put out of the winter hut when the air temperature in the shade is at least +14 degrees. Typically, these parameters are typical for mid-April or early May.

To detect nosematosis or varroatosis, it is recommended to send 40-50 bees from each colony to the laboratory. Before taking out the hives, the entrances must be closed, and the hives must be insulated with pillows. This must be done carefully so as not to disturb the insects.

After installing the hives, it is necessary to open the entrances. In order for the insects to remember the location of their hive, small bundles of straw should be placed on the arrival boards. Before taking out the hives, it is worth preparing 1 frame with 3 kilograms of honey and perga for each family. At night, the nest is recommended to be brought into a warm room.

Preparing the site for the exhibition

Before the spring exhibition of bees, it is required to prepare an apiary or point. Under normal weather conditions, hive stands should be prepared and placed. They must have a slight forward tilt. Then you should perform the takeaway itself.

If you need to take out several hives at the end of winter, it is recommended to clear the area under the hive and the path to it. Some beekeepers even make snow borders around the hive. At the same time, they leave a passage in front. Thanks to this, it is possible to protect the bees from the winter wind.

Taking the hives outside

The exhibition of bees in the spring is considered a very responsible event. It requires careful timing to do so. It is desirable that the changeable spring weather be good.

Take-out is required to be completed by 11-12 noon. In a large apiary, work should begin in the evening, so that by morning all families can enjoy the onset of spring. If there are not too many hives, it is worth doing the work early.

It is recommended to start the procedure with the fact that at night you need to come to the winter hut and close the entrances well. When performing manipulations in the morning, the entrances should be closed before sunrise. Then, without haste and noise, it is worth taking the hives outside and placing them on stands. Only after that is it allowed to open the entrances and release the bees.

Further care

For spring care to be successful, you should follow certain rules:

1. Change insulation material every year.
2. For the spring removal of bee houses, use a special stretcher. They just make it easier to take out. Plus, it helps avoid insect disturbance.
3. When treating hives from diseases in the spring, it is recommended to clean them and treat them with disinfectants from the inside.
4. Heated hives can be used in winter and cold spring.
5. The higher the temperature parameters in the hive, the more restless the insects become. As a result, the need for feed increases.
6. Spring removal is required to be carried out in an apiary fenced from the wind.
7. When the queen is lost, the bees perform their first flyby sluggishly and disunitedly. They can crawl on the board and return home. Such signs indicate that there are certain problems with the uterus or that it has died altogether.
8. Pay attention to signs of nosematosis. It is evidenced by the presence of insect feces on the arrival board and the facade of the hive.
9. Pay attention to the symptoms of acarapidosis. When an infection occurs, insects fall out of the entrance in groups, crawl, die with their wings spread apart.

It is worth considering that the use of additional electric heating helps to triple the productivity of one bee colony. This is due to the fact that insects have to spend less energy to maintain the temperature in the family.

Bees need special care in spring. In order for insects to develop normally and bring a lot of honey, you need to properly hold an exhibition. They also need to provide further care.

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