Some things to ponder before Tuesday
Jenn Slaughter -January To Do List in the Apiary
Hive Management (Minimal Disturbance)
- Check Food Stores: Lift the back of the hive to check its weight; provide fondant or sugar boards if light, but avoid opening the hive unnecessarily.
- Ensure Ventilation: Confirm proper upper ventilation to manage moisture, especially if you have solid floors.
- Monitor for Activity: On warmer days (50°F+), look for signs of life like bee droppings (cleansing flights) and listen for a unified buzz by tapping the hive. (TEMPS WILL BE IN THE 50's THIS COMING WEEK.)
- Varroa Management: If you've monitored mite levels, consider oxalic acid treatment if temperatures allow.
- Order Bees/Queens: Place orders for packages and queens now to secure your spot, as suppliers book up fast.
- Order seeds/plants for nectar and pollen: Remember to include fall bloomers.(INDIANA IS NOW 6a and 6b Hardiness Zone)
- Design gardens and water sources: Research/attend Master Gardener meetings.
- Equipment: Assemble new hive bodies, paint existing ones, repair frames, clean tools and organize everything for spring.
- Education: Read beekeeping books, take online courses, (North Carolina State University, University of Florida, University of Arkansas Department of Ag, Maryland State Beekeepers Association, Western Apicultural Society), watch YouTube videos from Midwest beekeepers (Dave Burns, Kent Williams, Bees in the Weeds) and/or register for TBoI Bee School Spring Conference, February 28, 2026 in Carmel, Indiana.
- Join: Join other bee groups on Facebook, locally, regionally and nationally.
- Clean Up Dead Outs: Address any lost colonies by cleaning frames and preparing them for reuse.
CLEAN UP AREA BEFORE THE BEES ARE IN ABUNDANCE!!!!
