February Beekeeping Chores

/ Bluebird Gardens/

My bees are tucked in their hives in february consuming the last of their honey. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

February Beekeeping Chores

Whether you are a new beekeeper or one with a few years under your bee suit, February continues to be a surprisingly busy month. With bees clustered inside hives consuming their hard-earned honey, beekeepers can get ahead of the season by planning ahead.

Bees are clustered inside hives staying warm and eating honey or sugar cakes. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

The secret to successful beekeeping is learning how to anticipate what bees will need. Whether it’s more equipment or help with managing pests, bees don’t wait on the beekeeper so time to get organized.

February Beekeeping Chores

  1. Most colonies die February-March for a number of reasons: high Varroa mite loads and because they run out of honey. Make sugar cakes to keep bees fed and to get them through this last cold spell.

  2. Inventory beekeeping equipment. Identify what beekeeping equipment needs to be replaced and repaired.

  3. Also identify what new equipment needs to be purchased and get it ordered.

  4. February is also a good month to attend conferences to get updated on the latest research and developments.

  5. Catch up on reading beekeeping magazines in books. I have piles all over the house with good intentions. Grey cold days are good for reading.

  6. If you have extra honey, winter is a good time to try recipes using honey.

  7. If you are starting your beekeeping journey, pick up a copy of "A Beekeeper's Diary Self-Guide to Keeping Bees 2nd Edition." It’s an excellent reference and guide regardless of what beginning classes you’re taking. You’ll be learning a new language and basic biology so taking extra classes and reading more books will help you get introduced to beekeeping. If you can’t get to classes, this book will help you getting started without one.

  8. February is also an excellent month to start planning what you will add to your garden to provide your bees with food. Not sure where to start? Think native spring-blooming trees.

  9. Check your bee suits for tears and holes. Get them mended. Also wash them, you’ll need them before you know it!

  10. Watch your colonies flying during warm days. It’s not unusual to find a speckle of drones flying, some manage to go undetected in large colonies.

For more beekeeping, gardening, cooking and easy home decor tips, subscribe to Garden Notes.

Charlotte

February Beekeeping Jobs

/ Bluebird Gardens/

February Beekeeping Chores

Time to give bee hives some personality with paint. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

February Beekeeping Chores

Whether you are a new beekeeper or one with a few years under your bee suit, February continues to be a surprisingly busy month.

With bees clustered inside hives consuming their hard-earned honey, beekeepers need to be updating their knowledge by attending classes and lectures.

This is also a good time to inventory beekeeping equipment, order what is missing and get those hives painted.

Bees are clustered inside hives staying warm and eating honey or sugar cakes. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

I’m going to make more sugar cakes in case my girls eat through what they currently have as supplemental food in case they run out of stored honey.

And should you have honey, this is a good month to play with recipes using honey.

I also have a pile of books and magazines to read.

If you are starting your beekeeping journey, pick up a copy of "A Beekeeper's Diary Self-Guide to Keeping Bees 2nd Edition." It’s an excellent reference and guide regardless of what classes you are taking and will help if you can’t get to one.

For more beekeeping, gardening, cooking and easy home decor tips, subscribe to Garden Notes.

Charlotte

February Beekeeping Jobs

/ Bluebird Gardens/

February Beekeeping Chores

Time to give bee hives some personality with paint. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

February Beekeeping Chores

Whether you are a new beekeeper or one with a few years under your bee suit, February continues to be a surprisingly busy month.

With bees clustered inside hives consuming their hard-earned honey, beekeepers need to be updating their knowledge by attending classes and lectures. And teaching them. If you are in the Rolla, Missouri area we have one opening left for each of our beginning beekeeping class February 25, 2023 and the Second Year Beekeeping class March 25, 2023. Register here.

This is a good time to inventory beekeeping equipment, order what is missing and get those hives painted.

Bees are clustered inside hives staying warm and eating honey or sugar cakes. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

I’m going to make more sugar cakes in case my girls eat through what they currently have as supplemental food in case they run out of stored honey.

Besides teaching beekeeping classes, this is a good month to attend lectures. There are a good number offered online since COVID.

And should you have honey, this is a good month to play with recipes using honey.

I also have a pile of books and magazines to read.

If you are starting your beekeeping journey, pick up a copy of "A Beekeeper's Diary Self-Guide to Keeping Bees 2nd Edition." It’s an excellent reference and guide regardless of what classes you are taking and will help if you can’t get to one.

What Bees Are Doing

As days get longer, the queen bees will start to lay more eggs getting ready for the busy time, the nectar flow.

Bees are also staying warm clustered together keeping the queen cozy.

Bees will consume about 25 pounds of stored honey this month.

Charlotte

February Beekeeping Chores

/ Bluebird Gardens/

February Beekeeping Chores

Time to give bee hives some personality with paint. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

February Beekeeping Chores

Whether you are a new beekeeper or one with a few years under your bee suit, February continues to be a busy month.

With bees clustered inside hives consuming their hard-earned honey, beekeepers need to be updating their knowledge by attending classes and lectures. And teaching them. If you are in the Rolla, Missouri area we have one opening left for each of our beginning beekeeping class February 26, 2022 and the Second Year Beekeeping class March 26, 2022. Register here.

This is a good time to inventory beekeeping equipment, order what is missing and get those hives painted.

Bees are clustered inside hives staying warm and eating honey or sugar cakes. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

I’m going to make more sugar cakes in case my girls eat through what they currently have as supplemental food in case they run out of stored honey.

Besides teaching beekeeping classes, this is a good month to attend lectures. There are a good number offered online.

And should you have honey, this is a good month to play with recipes using honey.

I also have a pile of books and magazines to read.

If you are starting your beekeeping journey, pick up a copy of "A Beekeeper's Diary Self-Guide to Keeping Bees 2nd Edition." It’s an excellent reference and guide regardless of what classes you are taking and will help if you can’t get to one.

What Bees Are Doing

As days get longer, the queen bees will start to lay more eggs getting ready for the busy time, the nectar flow.

Bees are also staying warm clustered together keeping the queen cozy.

Bees will consume about 25 pounds of stored honey this month.

Charlotte

February Beekeeping Chores

/ Bluebird Gardens/
Time to get my beekeeping equipment inventoried and order what I will need for this year. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Time to get my beekeeping equipment inventoried and order what I will need for this year. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

February Beekeeping Chores

One of my recent orders was for one of our buzzing bee toys, an item so anticipated that the Dad called me today to ask when would it ship. He said “my son can hardly wait to get it!”

I know the feeling. Even as a beekeeper for 11 years, I also anxiously await for the arrival of my new beekeeping equipment. First, though, I have to figure out what I need. This is actually a chore I try to get done in January but since I’m behind, I’m keeping it on my February list.

  1. Check my colonies for where the clusters are located. Add sugar cakes for supplemental food.

  2. Inventory all existing beekeeping equipment. Separate items that need repairs. Make a list of items I expect I will need.

  3. Place my beekeeping equipment order.

  4. Repair those items that need repairs.

  5. Organize my equipment so I have all similar items together.

  6. Replace used foundation with new foundation.

  7. Order queens bees. I want to add Varroa Sensitive Saskatraz queen bees to my apiary gene pool so I have those on order. They should be shipping in April, when, weather permitting, I plan to make splits.

  8. Paint my woodenware. I didn’t get around to painting my nucs last year so this should be their lucky year.

  9. Scope out garden locations for temporary housing of nucs and hives from swarms. Last year I ran out of space and was scrambling.

  10. Catch up on reading; I’m behind there, too.

    Charlotte