Bee Health

Bee Health:

To keep your hives buzzing it is essential to maintain the inmates health.

• Hygiene
• Adequate food with all the necessary vitamins and proteins  – ( This is where Mineral Bee for Bees nutritional supplement comes in handy)
• Protection from disease and mites (Varroa treatment such as Oxalic Acid and Bayvarol)
• Suitable temperature and moisture control

Some things are out of the beekeepers control;  for instance if you have ever experienced an AFB outbreak you will know the heartbreak and helpless feeling this brings.

However, we have to provide the best conditions we can.

Site the hive in a sheltered sunny spot away from damp and not exposed to the prevailing wind.  Keep surrounding shrubbery down to a reasonable level.  Protect the hive with an entrance reducer to keep out small rodents and enable the bees to better defend their home from robbing and wasp attacks.

Bees are great at looking after their own health but a little assistance doesn’t go amiss.  Ensure the floor of the hive is kept reasonably free of debris and remove grubby old comb and dirty frames.

For warmth, bees can maintain an ambient temperature inside the hive but if you are constantly opening the lid to peek inside especially in increment weather you make their job extra hard.  Especially in winter, it is a good idea to use a top feeder or entrance feeders to ensure you are not opening up the brood area unnecessarily.