Spring Has Sprung

Here in the upper midwest, the weather is starting to warm up and soon we'll be seeing the Spring flowers bloom. That also means that my hive will soon become very active. The bees have remained fairly quiet during the winter, especially in the northern part of the continent, but now the hive will begin to spring to life as the average temperature rises.

Bees in southern states are already active, since their average temperatures have already risen, so depending on the part of the country you live in, the activity level of your hive may or may not have risen. I noticed today, for example that it should reach 80 degrees in the South Texas area, where some of my friends live. Several weeks ago, their hives began the activity that mine are just beginning now.

Usually about three weeks after the first warm spell, when the daytime highs reach 80 F. and night time temperatures drop to the 40's, you will begin to see the spring hatch take place. The reason for this is simple. It takes 21 days from the date the eggs are layed for them to hatch. The Queen will lay a large number of eggs with that first warm weather, so simple math will tell you that three weeks later, those eggs are going to hatch.

What does that mean for the beekeeper? Simply put, it means more bees. Often the number of bees doubles as the hatch occurs, so you must be ready to provide the hive space they need for your colony to thrive. This means splitting hives so that you can provide necessary space and insure increased honey production. Be careful though, since the possibility of a cold snap still is present and you could lose bees in the newly divided hives. Ideally, your bees should cover 80% of the hive space. A good rule of thumb is the hive is not ready to split if the bees do not cover six or more frames within the hive.

Once the first signs of spring arrive, the beekeeper's workload increases. This is not a time for the beekeeper to rest on his laurels. Careful observation of temperature, hive activity and food supply are important if you want your hives to thrive. Just as the level of activity in the hive increases with warm weather, so does that of the beekeeper, and for many of us, it's that increased contact with our colony that makes it all worthwhile.

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