Bee Health

Bee Health:

Bee Health is essential to keep your hives buzzing.  Ensure the following:

• Hygiene
• Adequate food with all the necessary vitamins and proteins  - ( This is where Mineral Bee nutritional supplement comes in handy)
• Protection from disease and mites (Varroa treatment and avoiding overcrowding of apiary sites)
• 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.

Things we can do:

• 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 or wasp attacks. (For really top protection from wasps install a HiveGate ...)

Bees are great at looking after their own health but a little assistance doesn't go amiss.

• Remove old frames and grubby comb.  (Every 3-5 years is a suggestion) and clean debris from floor of hive.
• Use a top feeder or entrance feeders over winter so you resist the temptation to open up the hive unnecessarily in increment weather.