Spring
Spring is one of the most important seasons for bees and beekeepers. A strong start to Spring, paired with good hive management, determines how well a beehive performs over summer. Beekeeping is closely tied to the weather, but careful management gives every hive the best chance of success.
Our first job in Spring is to check each hive’s overall health after Winter. We inspect every hive, examining each brood frame (where the baby bees are raised) and checking for pests and diseases such as the parasitic Varroa Mite (Varroa destructor) and American Foulbrood. We also make sure the queen bee has survived the winter and is laying healthy eggs to rebuild the colony. If she hasn’t, Spring is the best time to re-queen the hive and get everything running smoothly long before the honey flow begins.
Varroa Mites
Parasitic Varroa Mites (Varroa destructor) were discovered in New Zealand in the early 2000s and have since spread nationwide. They are now present in every hive and without monitoring and treatment will quickly destroy a colony. Varroa mites reproduce inside the brood cells, feeding on larvae and spreading viruses such as Deformed Wing Virus.
As the beehive population grows through Spring, so too does the Varroa population. We treat for Varroa in early Spring and again in Autumn, before and after the honey flow, while also monitoring levels throughout the season to ensure strong, healthy bees.
Feeding Hives
We always aim to leave enough honey stores for our bees to overwinter so that we don’t need to feed them. However, if Spring nectar and pollen sources are late and honey reserves run low, supplemental feeding may be needed.
Beekeepers must watch the weather closely. Once the hive population starts expanding, cold or wet spells can quickly deplete stored honey. It’s important to note that we never feed sugar syrup when the honey supers are on, so you will never find sugar syrup in your jar of Branch Creek Honey!
If you’re planning your garden, consider adding bee-friendly trees and shrubs that provide nectar and pollen throughout the season. Great resources include Trees for Bees NZ and Apiculture New Zealand’s websites, or check out our top tips for planting blog here.
Swarm Control & Splitting
By late Spring, we carefully monitor each hive’s space and add extra brood boxes (where bees raise their young) as needed. As the colony grows, limited space can trigger swarming, where bees leave to form a new colony. A strong Spring with plenty of nectar and pollen can increase the risk of swarming, so we manage this proactively.
Splitting strong hives is an effective way to reduce swarming and expand our hive numbers or replace any lost over Winter. We divide one thriving hive into two and introduce a new queen to one half, giving both colonies more space.
Our final job in late Spring is to remove Varroa treatments and add honey supers just as the honey flow begins - ready for the bees to fill with our delicious Clover Blend Honey, the liquid gold of Branch Creek Station!