what is currently happening in the beehouse

WHAT IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING IN THE

BEEHOUSE?

By Zala H. & Larisa B.OŠ Slivnica pri Celju,

Slovenia2015/2016

JANUARY

• ensuring peace in the beehouse and around it

• removing the snow

• preparing and arranging beekeeping equipment

• supplying new beehives and comb foundations

• educating ourselves

FEBRUARY

• observing bees during the cleansing flight

• giving honeycomb to the honeybee colonies with no food

• cleaning bottom boards and varroa floors with an insert

• arranging a drinking place

• removing the snow• ensuring peace in the

beehouse and around it

MARCH

• providing a drinking place

• checking the brood and food supplies

• adapting the size of the room to the honeybee colony

• preparing comb foundations

• growing bee plants

APRIL

• checking and – if necessary – improving food supplies

• adapting the size of the room to the honeybee colony

• adding comb foundations and the cornerstone to seize building instinct

• checking if there are queen cells as well as a swarming fever in the hive

• collecting pollen• writing applications for forage

area• obtaining documents for

transport

MAY

● increasing the space for the brood and honey

●checking if there are queen cells as well as a swarming fever in the hive

●cutting out drone combs●monitoring the natural waste

of varroa mites●queen and spare bee colony

breeding ● if necessary extracting the

honey●bringing bee colonies to the

pasture

JUNE

• increasing the space for the brood and honey

• checking if there are queen cells as well as a swarming fever in the hive

• cutting out drone combs• monitoring the natural waste of

varroa mites• queen and spare bee colony

breeding• extracting honey• using summer pastures• making shaken swarms

JULY

●using summer pastures●extracting honey●following vets’

instructions to manage varroa mites

●monitoring varroa mite decline

●supplying bees with water

●arranging a nest for winter

● after the end of grazing feeding the bees substantially

● replacing queen bees

AUGUST

• feeding the bees for the winter• supplying bees with water• providing a rejuvenating pasture• preventing looting• monitoring the natural waste of

varroa mites

SEPTEMBER

• supplying bees with water

• checking the brood and estimating the food supplies

• arranging a nest for winter

• finishing feeding the bees

• protecting spare combs against wax moths

• preventing looting• monitoring the natural

waste of varroa mites

OCTOBER

●protecting spare combs against wax moths

●preventing looting●checking the invasion of

varroa mites●planting bee plants●cleaning and disinfecting

the places and equipment●arranging the interior and

the surroundings of the beehouse

NOVEMBER

• checking and sorting the combs• cooking waste beeswax• preparing and selling honey

products• educating ourselves• ensuring peace in the beehouse and

around it• following vets’ instructions to

manage varroa mites• monitoring varroa mite decline

DECEMBER

●trading and enjoying the fruits of our labour

● suppressing varroa mites and caring for the hives

●planning the future of the beekeeping season

●educating ourselves●enjoying a well deserved

winter’s rest

RESOURCES

• Čebelarski koledar. 2015. Ljubljana: Čebelarska zveza Slovenije.

• Čebelarski terminološki slovar. 2008. Ljudmila Bokal (ur.). Ljubljana:

Založba ZRC, ZRC SAZU.