July Beekeeping

Summer is here so anything can happen according to conditions. Plan and prepare for the season and so prepare to enjoy it.

Inside the hive
Queen bees will be laying at their maximum rate now but it is not unusual for them to decrease or stop if the weather has prevented an income of nectar.
The summer flow should now be at its peak.
In good conditions there should be no need to feed colonies (except maybe nucleus colonies) but if conditions have been bad and if there are any doubts about the quantity they have left, sugar bags can be left on the hive as an insurance against starvation and replenished as required or 50% sugar syrup can be fed. Read our Feeding Honey Bees for more details.
The population of Varroa mites could double over the month so mite drops should be monitored and treatments applied if indicated. Drone brood will be present and possibly queen cells too so swarming is possible.

Outside the hive
There will have been a rapid rise in the population of young bees and occasionally large numbers can be seen flying around the hive on nursery flights. Sometimes there can be so many that it seems like a swarm but it can be seen that they are only flying around the hive to learn and map their location. It is always heart warming to see pollen being brought back home. There is also a lot that can be learned from identifying the pollen loads to determine what flowers the bees are working in your area - local knowledge is important. Drones may also be seen flying on warm sunny days indicating that the breeding and swarming season is here.

In the apiary
Now is the time to have the equipment ready that may be needed for honey harvesting, uncapping, extraction and bottling.

Reduce the size of entrances to guard against intruders and secure the roof against the wind if necessary.
Ensure the hive is in good order to be left.
All that is left to do is to ensure any spare equipment is sterilised and stored away.

In the garden
Summer flowering herbs such as lavender, rosemary and mint for examples are always good nectar sources for all insects.
Any planting for bees is best done in drifts if possible, as in nature, a few plants may not provide the attractant needed for the bees to find them.

In the wild
Summer flowers start to blossom now such as the Clovers and Brambles providing lots of nectar and pollen, weather permitting so be prepared for the summer flow. Experienced beekeepers will always have an eye on the forecasts and the forage to anticipate possible honey flows and the consequent need for space in the hive. Extra Shallow boxes can often be filled when standard supers are not so try Extra Shallow for snatch cropping and honeycomb production. This can be great way to taste those honeys that only have small nectar flows.

N.B. Remember that every year is different, every locality is different and no two colonies are the same so every hive should be treated as an individual and managed accordingly.