December 21, 2020 Scott Derrick

The Beekeeper's Bee Naughty or Nice List

If Santa were to have a beekeeping naughty and nice list, which list would you find yourself on?

Beekeeping Naughty or Nice

If your beekeeping activities this year were to dictate whether there would be presents or coal in your stocking, which would you find on Christmas morning?

During the cold winter months, were you good (nice) and spent lots of time learning all you could about bees and beekeeping? Did you read beekeeping books and watch as many videos as you could? A good book for beginners would be, Beekeeping for Dummies. The Bee: a Natural History and Honeybee Democracy are great choices for a more seasoned beekeeper. Did you read lots of blog posts about beekeeping? Or were you naughty and didn’t take advantage of this time to learn more about bees and beekeeping?

Late last winter, did you make sure your bees had plenty of food to help them make it through the few remaining months of winter? If honey stores were running low, did you provide your bees with fondant or pollen supplement? Would your bees rate you as naughty or nice?

Have you performed proper maintenance on your hives and equipment? Or have you been naughty, neglecting your maintenance chores?

This past spring, were you prepared for swarming activity? Did you have a swarm trap ready for use? Did you have swarm lure to draw them to your trap? Or were you naughty and totally unprepared to deal with swarming activity? You don’t want to be on the naughty list and you certainly don’t want to lose your bees to swarming activity, so begin preparations for the next season by reading The Swarm Essentials Book.

Were you nice and made sure your bees had adequate pollinator plants? Did you plant a few more this year to make foraging easier for your bees?

Throughout the year, were you nice and watched for nectar dearths, providing your bees with supplemental feedings when they were needed? Or were you naughty and forgot to place supplemental feeders where your bees could easily access them?

During the spring, were you nice and made preparations for the coming summer?

When the weather got hot, did you make sure your bees had a reliable source of water? Or were you naughty and just assumed that they could fend for themselves?

Throughout the year, were you nice and took measures to control pests such as hive beetles, wax moths, ants, tracheal mites, and varroa mites? Or were you naughty and neglected to take care of pests and your hive suffered?

When you harvested honey from the hive, did you make sure to leave enough for the bees? Or were you tempted ... taking more than you should have?

General Question About Bee Naughty or Nice List

1. What are some essential winter preparations I should make for my bees?

To prepare your bees for winter, ensure they have enough food by supplementing with fondant or pollen supplements if honey stores are low. Insulate the hive to keep it warm and check for adequate ventilation to prevent moisture buildup.

2. How can I effectively control pests in my beehive throughout the year?

Effective pest control involves regular hive inspections and using appropriate treatments for pests such as hive beetles, wax moths, ants, tracheal mites, and varroa mites. Employ integrated pest management techniques, such as using screened bottom boards, beetle traps, and organic treatments. Keeping the hive clean and maintaining strong, healthy colonies also helps deter pests.

3. What steps should I take to prevent my bees from swarming in the spring?

To prevent swarming, regularly inspect your hives in early spring to monitor colony strength and queen cell development. Provide ample space by adding supers or performing splits if the colony is growing too large. Using swarm traps and lures can help catch any swarms that do occur. Ensuring the queen has enough room to lay eggs and managing hive ventilation are also crucial in preventing swarming.

What do you think ... if your bees got to vote, would they say that you’ve been naughty or nice? Will your beekeeping stocking be filled with coal, or will you find it filled with lots of wonderful surprises? The good thing about naughty and nice lists, however, is that if you found yourself on the naughty list this year, you can make a few minor changes and move over, and up, to the nice list.

Happy Holidays! May your stocking be filled with lots of wonderful surprises ... and may that surprise not be coal!

Filed in: apiarist, beehive, beehives, beekeeper, Beekeeper Equipment, beekeepers, beekeeping, Beekeeping in the South, beekeeping kits, Beekeeping Supplies, hives, Honey bees

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