July To-Do’s:

July brings with it the welcome sight of Sourwood in full bloom. Watch your honey supers closely and add more space when needed. If you are out of extra supers, spot harvesting is an option. Do this by removing a few frames that are fully capped, extract, and then return them to be filled again. It’s best to hold off on full hive inspections at this time, allowing colonies to focus on honey production. If you have specific concerns related to colony health, proceed as you feel is necessary.

As always, continue to monitor for pests and diseases. Keep a sharp eye out for small hive beetles as you add more room to colonies. If you notice an increase in SHB presence, be sure to act quickly before the population gets out of hand. Also, now is the time of year to provide clean water in a nearby, bee safe fashion if your apiary does not have ready access.  

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are more than happy to help.