Hive Management Basics

Regular Inspections

Consistent hive inspections are the foundation of good beekeeping. During the active season (April through September in Idaho), inspect every 7-14 days. Each inspection should take 10-15 minutes per hive once you know what you're looking for.

During an inspection, assess:

• Queen status -- look for eggs (tiny white grains standing upright in cells)
• Brood pattern -- should be solid and consistent, not scattered
• Food stores -- honey arcs above brood, pollen in cells near brood
• Space -- add supers before the colony runs out of room
• Pest and disease signs -- varroa mites, deformed wings, foulbrood

Varroa Mite Management

Varroa destructor is the single biggest threat to managed honeybee colonies worldwide. These parasitic mites feed on bee fat bodies and transmit viruses that can devastate a colony. Every beekeeper needs a varroa management strategy.

Monitor mite levels using alcohol washes or sugar rolls at least monthly during the active season. Treatment thresholds are typically 2-3 mites per 100 bees. Treatment options range from organic acids (oxalic acid, formic acid) to synthetic miticides, with timing depending on whether honey supers are on the hive.

Swarm Prevention

Swarming is the colony's natural method of reproduction -- half the bees leave with the old queen to start a new colony. While natural, it reduces your honey crop and means a queenless period for the remaining bees.

Prevent swarming by:

• Adding space before the colony needs it (supers, drawn comb)
• Ensuring good ventilation
• Keeping young, productive queens (1-2 years old)
• Performing splits if colonies are booming in spring
• Checking for queen cells during spring inspections

Feeding

In an ideal world, bees feed themselves from natural forage. But there are times when supplemental feeding is necessary -- particularly when installing a new package, during extended rainy periods, or in early spring when stores are low but flowers haven't bloomed yet.

Sugar syrup (1:1 ratio of sugar to water in spring, 2:1 in fall) is the standard feed. Pollen patties can supplement protein when natural pollen is scarce. Never feed honey from unknown sources, as it can transmit diseases like American foulbrood.

Record Keeping

Keep notes on each hive after every inspection. Record queen status, colony strength, mite counts, treatments applied, and any concerns. Over time, these records help you spot patterns, compare year-over-year performance, and make better management decisions. Even a simple notebook kept by the hives works well.