Managing the Hive and Harvesting Honey
2025-03-07
Learn the basics of routine inspections, disease prevention, and a first approach to honey extraction.
Taking consistent care of your bees is key to healthy colonies and a safe honey harvest.
Regular Hive Management
1. Inspections:
Check brood, stores, and potential queen cells every 7-10 days in spring-summer.
2. Adding Supers:
If the brood chamber is crowded, add a super to prevent swarming.
Diseases and Varroa
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Monitoring:
Periodically assess varroa levels.
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Treatments:
Use approved products, following correct dosages.
Honey Harvest
1. When:
Wait until frames are well capped (at least two-thirds).
2. How:
Remove frames from the super, brush off bees gently, and extract honey with a centrifuge or 'crush and strain.'
3. Storage:
Filter the honey and let it settle before bottling.
Conclusions
Through regular checks, parasite control, and proper extraction, you can enjoy your first honey harvest. Each colony is unique: observe your bees and adjust management to keep them thriving.
