Monthly Maintenance

January

• Evaluate last year, study and set up goal for this year
• Order equipment early to beat price increases
• Repair damaged equipment and construct new

February

• Check colony stores, & general health
• Feed if needed
• Order new queens

March

• Inspect colonies twice this months for stores & general health
• Move brood nest down and replace bad combs
• Apply all medication:Apistan, Menthol, Terramycin, etc.
• Feed to stimulate brood
• Check for swarm potential

April

• General inspection (Twice this month) for signs of any diseases & mites
• Prepare for swarming
• Divide colonies or re-queen
• Take our all medication at-least 4 weeks before any honey flow
• Build supers for honey flow

May

• General inspection for signs of congestion, any diseases & mites
• Add drawn supers for spring honey flow
• Watch for possible swarming

June

• General inspection for signs of congestion, any diseases & mites
• Process spring honey

July

• General inspection for signs of congestion, any diseases & mites
• Put on Sourwood supers

August

• General inspection for signs of congestion, any diseases & mites
• Process Sourwood honey
• Apply all medication:Apistan, Menthol, etc. after all honey has been processed

September

• General inspection for signs of congestion, any diseases & mites
• Begin preparing hives for wintering making sure that each hives has at least 45 LB of honey

October

• Continue to feed if hives still need food
• Provide for upper ventilation for winter
• Clean all tools and suppers for winter storage

November & December

• General outside inspection making sure that the physical hive is in good condition

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