Now that you have closed off your beehives, what’s next? It’s time to start the preparation for the next beekeeping season of course!
In the next 3 months, when winter fully succumbs and it’s cold as ice, it is not recommended for you to open your beehive. Make sure you are only doing so for good reasons.
So what can you prepare for spring while it’s winter?
Boxes
For beginner beekeepers, spring and summer is the biggest beekeeping season yet. That is why winter is the perfect time to prepare your boxes. Having easy access to spare boxes are very convenient especially if you are planning to max out your honey production.
Buy or build, choose what works for you! There are a number of Australian beekeeping supplies shops that offer both assembled and unassembled kits (ehem us too)! It is recommended that you paint your boxes to double its durability.
Frames
If you reckon that your current frames are soon to be past its due date, it’s time to get new ones. It’s also good to track and label your frames with the dates when they were first used. This will easily let you know when they are due for replacement. If there are signs of rotting, change or replace it immediately!
Equipment
The quiet time is also a good time to plan if you would like to expand your operations, such as extracting honey, beeswax or honeycomb! No better time to prepare for expansion than the quiet time and bust them out ready when the bees are ready for take off!
Flow
For the backyard beeks or hobbyists, it’s also good to plan out what to add on to your garden for your bees to feast on when they are ready for their spring build up. In the meantime, if you live in temperate areas such as Perth or Adelaide, you can add winter flowering plants to aid your bees in storing natural food resources.
Check here for a good list of winter flowering plants by region and here for the best plants to add for spring and summer.
Hygiene
It’s also the perfect time to sanitise your apiary or storage area where you keep beekeeping tools and equipment. Consider it like a house general cleaning. Maintaining a sanitised area will help prevent your bees from catching any disease that are attracted to the smell of honey, nectar and pollen. Make sure to look out for:
- Unused extracted honey combs
- Honey extractors
- Wax melters
- Small tools used for extracting honey, honey comb and frames
- Rotting wood
How will you prepare for the rush of next season? One thing is for sure, make sure you are well-informed about bee behaviours, activities and signs of trouble during spring season. Knowledge can help you avoid any issues you may have to face!
Interested in buying beekeeping tools and equipment in bulk and discounted price? For personalised advice on products and tips for beehive management, give us a call on 0488 010 840 or get in touch via email at [email protected]. Shop online here (free shipping for orders over $300)!
