Assuming winter survival, we'll cover questions like: Do the bees have enough food to make it to the main nectar flow? Are the frames in good repair? Can we see evidence that the queen is laying eggs? What kind of brood pattern is present? What kind of pollen is arriving on bees?

The management of honey bees includes basic principles of animal husbandry, so we'll be making sure our are hives in good working condition (clean and painted, with no decaying hive boxes or broken bars on frames, etc.). Now is the time to take corrective action, including cleaning off the bottom board and rotating out old, dark comb.

Package bees for the yard are scheduled to arrive on the same day as this workshop, but that scheduling can change. If the packages arrive on time, we will demonstrate a package installation, which will cover setting up the hive, sugar water requirements, tools needed, and how to care for the queen.

Participant preparation:

Review package installation videos and review the biology of brood stages so you better understand what you are observing.

Led by Bill Hesbach, CBA President

Bill is an Eastern Apicultural Society Certified Master Beekeeper, graduate of the University of Montana's master beekeeping program, and president of the Connecticut Beekeepers Association. He teaches bee biology and various beekeeping methods, and appears as a guest speaker at local and regional beekeeping seminars. Bill has been published in Bee Culture, Bee Craft, and The American Bee Journal, and was presented the Distinguished Speaker Award at the 2019 EAS conference. Special interests include bee biology and flight, and the connection between local flora and bee behavior.

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