Los Angeles in June

via Susan Rudnicki

BEEks —we are going into high summer, and if all health is good in your colonies and the brood nest has been managed successfully to prevent swarms, you should be able to harvest honey from hives 2 years and older. Note the age—new hives, from this Spring or Winter are needing you to let them keep their stores for building up.

We are in a strong drought of three years duration, so if you live near the foothills and your bees must rely on lots of natives for pollen and nectar, they may be finding the pickings slim. You may need to feed them. Only inspection and conferring with other knowledgeable beeks will help you determine this. Please utilize the great opportunity HoneyLove offers as a networking resource by attending our educational meetings and events and using the Forum to advance your confidence by posing questions. Beekeeping is a extended learning curve craft with lots of nuances.

Stay up on your inspection schedule (every 2 – 3 weeks)  and keeping records of when you do them, what you see, and what you think your observations portend for the colony.  Drone brood frames discovered in the brood nest can be moved up to the top box and after the drones hatch, this area is often filled with honey.

Keep  your ant control barriers in good order for young hives, weak hives, or recently hived swarms, cutouts or trap-outs. They NEED this cheap, easy and effective insurance from you.

Please take the time to be observant of all the flowering trees, shrubs, and annual flowers that your bees use for their food.  Eucalyptus, Mellaleucas, Grevilleas, Grewia and many others  are blooming now—we should strive to know these plants and their bloom cycles to truly know our bees.