Toward the end of this month we receive the start of summertime and , with it , copious blooms and solid food beginning for bees . Depending on where you survive , most locations are in the “ safe geographical zone , ” weatherwise , by this meter . Unless your hive is struggling , or you buy a late - season nuc , alimentation should be optional at this prison term of twelvemonth . That said , you know your bees and microclimate best , so utilise your best assessment .
Assuming things look upright otherwise , here are several tasks to reckon and complete during June :
1. Check Electric Fencing & Keep Weeds Down
The alternating heat and rain of summertime in most North American locations means thing are develop — tight . While that ’s wonderful for the nectar producing plants your bees trust on , it also mean grass and weeds take off at breakneck speed . Mow around the apiary , and weed or cut the smoke and plant around electric fencing . The growing might short out the fencing and render it ineffective . Just because food reservoir are aplenty for larger animal , too , does n’t mean your bees are off terminal point . Keep those fences active .
2. Watch for Pesticides
Because garden develop chop-chop , this is the time of year homeowners utilize copious amounts of chemicals . This is bad news for your bees , all pollinators and every garden , truly . Check in with your neighbor this month to see whether they ’re spray , and when . If relations are good , perhaps you may educate them on the grandness of cut off our dependency on pesticides , herbicides and sess killer whale then finding other ways to remove weeds — or toembrace them .
3. Monitor Honey Stores if You Plan to Harvest
The first linguistic rule of dear harvesting is : verify the bee have enough before you take any . A late bounce or midsummer harvest time is marvellous for capturing the gustatory modality of sure short - lived blooms , but remember that summer is when bees build up universe and stores . Always correspond that they are originate healthily and have enough honey before you glean .
4. Plant Sunflowers & Other Flowering Plants
In many locus , it ’s not too recent to set now for a later - summer bloom . In fact , timing your plantings of bee - friendly flower and herbs is a wonderful way to give them a cost increase and keep native pollinators around all season . Get to hump your field ’s flower agenda for wildflowers and inflorescence tree diagram , and meet in the gap with your own pollinator garden .
5. Plan to Make a Split
Making asplit — essentially taking half of one colony to produce another — is one of the most effective way to increase the telephone number of colonies you keep . In the next column , we ’ll explore in - depth ways of wee a split . For now , gather up all the textile you ’ll need so you ’re quick when it ’s time : a new , terminated beehive ( do n’t reuse woodenware unless its yours and you bang it ’s free of disease and blighter ) ; a novel location , fully go under up ; and some extra frames of honey , or supererogatory feeder in case the split need some bread and butter .
June is a wonderful time to be a beekeeper . savour the cool mornings and warm afternoons . savour watch over your bees float from flower to flower , knowing they ’re building up their Colony strong . Soon , you ’ll be enjoying honey together , too .
