During this month and through July, prioritize the following four
areas of colony health to ensure your bees thrive through the summer:
- Queenright Status: Confirm that your queen is active and laying. A
healthy colony should have brood at every stage of development,
including eggs, larvae, and capped brood. If these are missing, please
contact the GBA for support. - Bee Population: At this point in the season, all your hive boxes should
be at least 80% full of bees. - Food Resources: A strong population requires at least two frames of
stored honey and nectar. You should also observe bee bread and pollen on
the frames. If stores are low, provide 1:1 syrup until the colony
reaches the two-frame minimum. - Mite Management: High bee populations that are untreated lead to rising
mite counts. It is important to test your mite levels at least once a
month
Taking these steps today will safeguard the health of your bees for the
remainder of the season. As always, please reach out if you need any
assistance.
