Early Spring To Do List for Beekeepers

Dawn light on the hives. Mid January is when I start gearing up for bee season in Northern California. The magnolias are in bloom and we are only a few weeks away from the plum tree blossoms. It’s a good time for making lists. January might not be when you start to prep. It really depends on your bio region and bee season. Ours starts as early as late February. Yours might not start till April. When things do start to warm up here are some of my “2 months out” to dos:

- check on food stores for existing hives.
- clean up, scorch, weatherize hive bodies that lost colonies.
- order/ build any new equipment I might need.
- check my tools and equipment.
- source where I might get my honey to feed bees if I’m low.
- clean up ground around hives.
- get a new bee journal for the year
- begin to make full moon or Imbolc offerings and blessings for the new colonies to come.
- prep and install swarm bait hives.
- Dream with the land to see if there is anything needed.
- Energetically sweep out the old energy of dead hives. I use a besom broom and a smoker.
- Tell your existing hives your plans for the new beekeeping year.