Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
• Applied medications (and when the next treatment is due)
• Harvested, and how much
Reviewing your notes before you next open your colony will remind you of actions
you need to take, equipment you need to buy, problems you need to check, and what
you should expect to find.
Keep records in a large notebook that is difficult to misplace. After a few seasons,
your notes will be minimal because you will have mastered the routine management
skills, noting only swarming dates, new queens added, medication applications if used,
and the amount of harvest.
There is no substitute for keeping good records. Get a good notebook or a three-ring
binder. Designate one page for every colony (spray paint a number on each colony,
too). Or, create a page for every visit to the beeyard, and keep dated notes on each
colony visited on each page.
Opening a Colony
The first few times you examine a colony can be exciting, scary, and confusing. It's easy
to get sidetracked and forget to do one of your planned tasks. So before you get started,
make a good mental note of why you are looking inside. This is good advice whenever
you are going to examine your colony. Check your record book first, always. When you
know why you're going in, you'll know what you need to do the job, so get everything
together and bring it with you.
Before you begin, make doubly certain your smoker is burning well, but give it a
reassuring puff every few minutes, just to be sure. If you're feeding, have your extra
feeder full and ready. Bring supers or other equipment you may be adding, and have
your hive tool in hand. It's not good to leave a colony open if you have to run back to
the house.
This may seem obvious, but quickly scan the ground for rocks, branches, or toys.
Stepping on one of these with your hands full of a box of bees can be disconcerting.
Check to make sure nothing is on the hive stand where you plan to set your boxes,
either. And don't put the things you brought with you in a place where they will be in
the way before you use them. Whenever possible, minimize moving things more than
you need to—it saves the back and the temper.
