Best Management Practices for Honey Bee Colonies

Successful beekeepers employ practices that are tested and proved to be profitable.

Exert you energy wisely

-  Invest time, money and energy on your healthy colonies.

Practice judicious methods

-  Maintain a reserve; don't commit all your colonies to contract.

Monitor colony strength

-  Cull weak colonies.

-  Use diagnostic services for objective colony assessment.

-  Check frames of brood for intended strength to coincide with almond bloom.

-  Be mindful of colony placement to minimize stress.

-  Do not combine weak collapsing colonies with healthy colonies. 

Managing Stock 

-  Maintain genetic quality to meet your objectives:

     o  Maintain stocks that are productive and disease and pest resistant.

     o  Encourage high drone densities to provide well-mated queens and genetically diverse colonies.

     o  Discourage stocks that are excessively defensive.

     o  Select stock by propagating colonies that prosper when other colonies exhibit symptoms of stress. 

-  Requeen colonies, at least annually.

-  Package bees typically exhibit low Varroa and virus levels during the year following installation.  Consider making colony increases by shaking bees from your own colonies. 

Water

-  Consider water access when transporting colonies and when placing colonies in the orchard.

The Beekeeper's Goal

-  Work towards strong 8-frame colonies for almond pollination by Feb. 1st. 

-  Invest your energy in the expectation of future returns and benefits.

-  Use discretion to avoid waste.

-  Employ genetics, diagnostic services and placement of hives to ensure healthy colonies.