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Barnstable County Beekeepers Yearly Calendar
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| Making honey.
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January
- Keep entrances clear of ice and snow
- Heft hives for stores
- Feed candy or granulated sugar if needed
- Repair and assemble equipment
February
- Order package bees for April or May delivery
- Redistribute remaining stores if needed
- Clean hive entrance and surroundings
March
- Feed dry sugar or candy if stores are low
- Feed 1:1 Sugar Syrup w/ Fumidil-B
- Insert Apistan now (if needed) for removal by nectar flow
- May feed pollen substitute to increase brood production
April
- Prepare hives for new bees
- Install package bees
- At dandelion bloom, reverse brood supers and flip inner cover
May
- Remove Apistan Strips if used
- Check brood pattern for diseases and swarm cells
- Divide strong colonies -- watch for swarms
June
- Super as needed for nectar flow
- Continue to watch for warming
- Pollinator Plant Sale
July
- Remove and extract capped honey supers
- Inspect for Queenright, diseases, and mites
- Barnstable County Fair
August
- Place extracted supers on hives for “licking”
- Requeen, if planned or necessary, during nectar flow
September
- Remove honey supers prior to medicating
- Install mouse guards and use entrance reducers to keep out mice
- Flip inner covers to “winter mode”
October
- Add grease patties
- Feed 2:1 Sugar Syrup medicated with Fumidil-B
November - December
- Make needed equipment repairs
- Leave the bees alone
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