March is an exciting time for beekeepers in the PNW. It’s the first month a lot of hive activity begins. At this point you should be able to tell exactly which hives are alive, as the bees should be taking regular flights.
March, like February, is a critical time in beekeeping. The bees alive now, are winter bees, and are getting old. These bees must not starve, need to raise the next generation of bees, and have to forage early. They will begin collecting pollen from Crocuses, willows, and dandelions. When you see them begin to bring pollen into the hive, they are beginning to raise brood.
They need to be fed
It is important that you continue to feed the bees, unless you are sure they have plenty of honey still. Usually, they have very little honey at this time of year. Feed a small colony unless they have two or more frames, and position these frames so they are close to the cluster or brood nest. Here is my spring hive inspection guide.
If the colony is larger, close to a deep box full, then you should see either four frames of honey or you should feed them.
Feeding the bees preemptively at this time of year is a good idea. They will only take what they need, so it doesn’t hurt to play it safe.
Feed 1:1 sugar:water ratio. For more information on feeding, check out this article.
If it is still regularly freezing, use the dry sugar method and feed the bees this way.
Pollen
You can also feed pollen patties this time of year.
Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines to ensure the bees don’t raise more brood than they can cover and keep warm. Also make sure the pollen substitutes are high quality, as low quality substitutes can substantially shorten the bees’ lifespan.
Live bees should be ordered by now
Any live bees you’re ordering should have the order placed. Generally a late April pickup date is about the earliest I’d want to pick up a package of bees in these parts, since forage would be scarce and it would still be cold, but if you wanted to feed consistently, you could get a nuc much sooner. If the nuc is locally raised, it usually wouldn’t be available before the end of May.
Begin thinking about splits
If you plan to split your colonies, begin watching for the presence of drones, and drone brood. You can do inspections on warm days that reach 50-55 degrees. Begin assessing which colonies are strongest and which you plan to split. Also notice which queens are performing the best.
Splitting at this time of year is strictly about growing your apiary or having an extra colony to sell, not about swarm prevention. Swarm prevention splits are made later in the year, starting about mid May through potentially as late as early July.
An Even Easier Way to Do Splits
Do you have the gear you will need this season?
The bees will rapidly expand, so ensure you have frames, deep boxes, honey supers, and at least one extra cover and bottom board. It seems a beekeeper always ends up with an extra colony throughout the year somehow, and it’s important to have the equipment you need. (Otherwise you’ll end up trying things like we did our first year!) Here are a list of my favorite resources.
If you don’t have protective gear yet, now is the time to get that ordered! This ComfortPro is my favorite jacket. I stay so cool in it, and I’ve not ever been stung through it. See my full review here. The bees will build up and can become more intimidating than they are now, so especially if you’re new to beekeeping, you should get a suit or jacket. If you plan on getting only a jacket, make sure you have the right kind of jeans to wear with it.
Beginning of the year!
March is an exciting time, when I consider to be the start of the beekeeping year. Feed the bees, and gear up for spring!
Check out the other articles in my month by month beekeeping in the PNW series
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