January Beekeeping Tips
Things that may happen in the hive
The cold of winter is here. Your bees are in their winter clusters, except when they might leave the hive on warm days for a cleansing flight.
You may have dead bees pile up on the bottom board. When a warm day happens, the bees may remove the bodies. If you see dead bees on the snow outside the hive, that is a good sign.
Activities for the month of January
Inspecting the hives.
Do not open your hives unless it is relatively warm out. If warm and windless, open the hive but DO not pull frame or break the cluster. When open, check the hive for moisture around the outer and inner covers. If you see that the cluster is close to one side of the food stores, you can carefully move it closer, but keeping it together while you do so. You can also move frame of honey closer to it.
Check for nutrition.
If the colony is light on the stores of food, use our sugar bricks we sell at the store, on a warm day!
How is your Equipment?
Order replacement bees.
We are selling Nucs and Packages for this spring, it is time to order, if you have not already ordered.
https://www.letitbeeinc.com/collections/live-bees
Check your stored equipment for pests.
Update your inventory, purchase, assemble those new hives you got for Christmas, clean and sterilize, fix up or paint as needed.
Your yard maintenance.
Check for critters living in your hives that are so warm.
Make sure the hive cover is on properly and secured.
For better ventilation, remove any ice blocking the hive entrances. Snow is ok it helps insulate the bees and allows enough air flow.
Education
We will be having another beginner beekeeping, class see below for details.
Check for bee meetings with local bee clubs. We have a list of them on our website at:
https://www.letitbeeinc.com/pages/beekeeper-associations-clubs
