Home beekeeping is a fun and rewarding hobby.
Bees produce plenty of honey and wax and even a small beekeeper will enjoy the fruits of their label in just one season.
In order to be a successful beekeeper, it is important to become familiar with the seasons of beekeeping and what is to be expected during each one.
We'll touch on all four seasons in this article.
Springtime In the springtime the bees are waking up from their winter nap.
It is time for you, as the beekeeper, to inspect the hive and be sure that there is no disease in it and that the queen is present and laying eggs.
During this time of year you will also add an extra section to the hive called a super if the bees need more room.
Lastly, spring is the time of year to dose the hive with preventative medications.
Summer At this time of year you will be adding extra frames (also called a super) to your hive to hold the honey that your bees will be producing.
You will also be harvesting honey during this season.
The rule of thumb for harvesting honey is that it is good to do when all the frames in a super are filled with honey and one-half of the cells are capped with wax.
Fall Get your bees ready to overwinter.
During the fall months you need to feed your bees sugar water to ensure that they live through the winter.
You also will be inspecting your hive to make sure the queen is healthy and that there is no disease.
In cold climates you will want to wrap the hive for the winter.
Winter Bees are actually very self sufficient.
They winter over by themselves very well provided you did your fall activities correctly.
At this time of year, you can take a break and begin to prepare your hive for spring.