🐝 A Beekeeper’s Calendar: The Spring Months

By Mark Vanderende | The Foraging Bee
www.theforagingbee.ca

As the earth thaws and buds begin to break, the spring months mark a pivotal time in the beekeeping year. Bees are waking up, colonies are building up, and as beekeepers, we need to be ready. From March through May, our role shifts from winter watchmen to full-time managers—ensuring our hives are healthy, well-fed, and prepared for the explosive growth that lies ahead.

Here’s your spring guide to feeding, inspecting, and staying ahead of the swarm season.

🍯 Feeding: Fueling the Spring Build-Up

In early spring, food is life. Colonies that survived winter may be running low on honey stores, and with fluctuating weather, natural forage is still unreliable. Feeding can make the difference between a colony that thrives and one that collapses.

Early Spring Feeding (March–April):

• Fondant, sugar bricks, or winter patties placed above the cluster help bridge the gap when it’s too cold for liquid feed.

• Pollen patties can be introduced if brood rearing is underway and natural pollen sources are lacking. (Watch for Small Hive Beetle or ants if using patties.)

Liquid Feeding (April–Early May):

• Use a 1:1 sugar syrup (by weight) to mimic nectar and stimulate brood production once daytime temps reliably stay above 10°C.

• Internal feeders or top feeders are best—external feeders can chill the syrup.

When to Stop:

• Once natural nectar is abundant and your bees are actively foraging, let them do what they do best. Overfeeding can lead to excessive brood or syrup in the honey supers.

📝 Mark's Tip: “Always feed responsibly—underfeeding stresses bees, overfeeding can throw off natural rhythms. Learn to read your colony.”

🔍 Inspections: Reading the Colony’s Story

Spring inspections give us the chance to truly assess colony health after winter. But timing and technique are key—too early, and you risk chilling brood; too late, and the swarm alarm might already be ringing.

Early Peek (March):

• On a warm, sunny day, crack the lid for a quick top check.

• Look for signs of life, moisture issues, and cluster size.

• Don’t dig into frames unless absolutely necessary—keep it brief.

Full Inspection (Mid–Late April):

• Look for:

  • Queen presence (eggs/larvae or spotting the queen)

  • Brood pattern – solid, compact brood indicates a healthy queen.

  • Pollen & nectar stores

  • Room to grow – is the brood nest congested?

  • Signs of disease or mites – chalkbrood, sacbrood, deformed wing virus, etc.

🛠 Bring a checklist—it’s easy to forget details when managing multiple hives.

May Check-Ins:

• Weekly or bi-weekly checks for swarm signs (more on that below).

• Monitor for queen cells, congestion, and overall temperament.

📝 Mark’s Tip: “Your bees will tell you what’s happening if you learn to listen. Slow down, observe, and take notes.”

⚠️ Swarm Control: Managing the Reproduction Urge

Come May, bees are ready to multiply—and they’ll take matters into their own wings if you’re not watching. Swarming is natural, but it also means a 50% workforce loss and missed honey harvests if unmanaged.

Swarm Triggers:

• Overcrowding (brood nest or hive overall)

• Congested entrances

• Backfilling of brood comb with nectar

• A strong, healthy queen in a booming colony

Prevention Strategies:

• Add space: Super early! Don’t wait until the bees need it—give them room to grow.

• Reverse brood boxes: Helps distribute brood and reduces congestion.

• Split your hives: A strong hive can be divided to create two, relieving pressure and increasing your stock.

• Rotate out old frames: Provide open comb for laying and nectar storage.

• Equalize colonies: Share brood and bees between strong and weak hives.

Queen Cells—Now What?

• Finding capped queen cells is a major signal. You have options:

  • Let them swarm and try catching it.

  • Perform a preemptive split to simulate a swarm and retain both parts.

  • Destroy queen cells only if you’ve addressed the root cause (space, congestion, etc.).

📝 Mark’s Tip: “Swarm control isn’t just about preventing bees from leaving—it’s about understanding their rhythm and working with it. Sometimes, a well-timed split is better than a battle.”

🌿 The Spring Summary

Spring is an intense time, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Every action you take sets your hives up for the summer nectar flow, and a healthy spring build-up can lead to strong splits, big honey harvests, and resilient colonies.

TaskMarchAprilMayFeedingFondant / PattiesLight syrup / pollenStop if forage is ampleInspectionsQuick visualFull inspectionWeekly swarm checksSwarm ControlNot yetMonitor buildupSplits, supers, management

🐝 Final Buzz

Whether you're tending two hives or fifty, spring is where your beekeeping season begins. Listen to your bees, observe your surroundings, and don’t be afraid to adapt. At The Foraging Bee, we’re all about helping you connect, explore, and sustain—one season at a time.

Let’s 🐝 Curious and have fun with bees together!

👉 Want hands-on help this spring?
Check out our workshops, apiary tours, and Edu-🐝 video series at www.theforagingbee.ca