Ensure you have spare super chambers for the bees so they have space to grow themselves through the intense blooms ahead. Remember, whenever you open the hive you break the seals the bees built to create a closed internal climate they can insulate and distracts them from foraging for nectar and pollen to create excess stores in the hive.
Ensure your beekeeping inspections and or harvesting of honey is strictly singular and efficiently planned: Every time a colony is inspected or harvested from at this time we as beekeepers disturb the colony for up to 3 foraging days following.
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Festive Buzz
~ December Wishes ~ If you have been as busy as the bees this year then you have had a prosperous and buzzing 2017! Long may that success and growth continue.
Sometimes, like the bees, we find ourselves having to make hard choices and pack and leave a home or a business or a relationship... That's tough. But like bees, they make the hard choices and move forward. If you had to experience this, this year we hope you discovered a new place to be and settle.
Like the best colonies out there, hopefully many in your apiary, we all want to thrive! To be the best we can be. To experience grand adventures, exciting experiences and memorable moments.
We wish you all from Bee WARE that the festive buzz will hold something of all these possibilities in your lives over the holiday season. That you will be blessed these last few days of the year and that the blessings will flow over into the 2018 year ahead.
Seasons come and go. May this festive season come and may it be merry. May you harvest much sweet joy, happiness and safe journey!
Closing times over the holidays - December 22nd @ 12h00 - January 10th 2018
- We will not be able to process online orders during this time
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~ Bees and Summer Flow-------------->
This time of year is referred to as the Summer Flow in beekeeping lingo. It's the perfect time for bees to be splitting and trekking across the country. When bees do this it makes for the best opportunity to grow your apiary using some basic items and planning!
Tools for Luring Trekking Swarms
# Lemon grass essential oil # Catch boxes & brood chambers # Nectar flow sites like sunflower, blue gum and avo # Sugar water to kickstart the new colony
Spraying a new swarm with very fine sugar water is a good way to help them recover and boost their condition after a trek! In this case, a 2:1 ratio of water to sugar can be implemented. So, 2L of water to 1kg of sugar for example. This will help the bees to recover quickly and boost their energy levels in the early days of settling in to their new home.
Note: One is not required to spray a full 2 liter bottle onto the colony all at one time... Rather to split it into 500ml sprays over 2-3 days where possible. Otherwise see next our alternatives if you aren't able to get to the bees frequently.
Entrance feeders and external feeding is a good practice to be putting to use over this period to boost new colonies after swarming. By watching them, you can get a good indication of what your bees are gathering and bringing back to the hive. Usually there will be yellow or red pollen coming back with foragers. If no pollen is noticed then it is very likely that forager was collecting nectar and or water for the colony.
If you can see pollen being brought in then it is very unlikely that they need pollen feeding or a pollen substitute. Remember although bees require pollen in their diet to keep themselves warm and feed the young larvae the important thing is that during this time all energy is usually utilised for brood boosting the colony with high priority on breeding new bees at this time.
The feeding at this point should really only be focused on new and trekking swarms that have moved into bee hives.
ALERT:> Ants can become a major risk when feeding sugar water to so make sure not to spill sugar water around or in the hive. USE Nip-It nearby to your hives to keep ants away from your apiary.
P.S. We also feel it is important to inform customers that our contact details by phone line are 012 771 4288 and 012 757 5538 to speak with Vic and Shirley or contact Shirley on 083 308 0042 at the Bee WARE Centurion Shop.
Our email address is buzz@beeware.co.za at the shop.
Contact details for Bee WARE
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