Yearly Management
Managing a honey bee colony is complex and fascinating. Here are some resources to help you manage colony growth and prepare for winter
General
The University of Guelph has a really excellent video series. I've also listed invidiual videos in the topic areas below. Note: many of the individuals in these videos do not wear veils. Unless you are very experienced, it is recommended that you wear a veil when opening a hive. - Check out Beekeeping calendar for the Northeast from the Cornell Bee Lab
- Ohio State offers a popular webinar, where they bring in experts to lecture about bees
- For a diverse collection of resources on bee health, check out eXtension.org.
- Check out workshops offered by UMass, and other intermediate/advanced bee courses offered by organizations Massachusetts.
Managing Growth (Swarming, Splitting and Supering)
Written Resource: Larry Connor's book Increase Essentials is a classic on this topic. - Video: The University of Guelph videos on this topic are excellent:
- Workshops: Check out the spring colony management workshop offered by MDAR at the State Apiary in the spring
Winter Prep
Written Resource: Wintering Bees in Cold Climates is a good guide out of Cornell- Video: The University of Guelph also has a video on this topic:
- Workshops: Check out the winter prep workshop offered by MDAR at the State Apiary in the fall
Queen Management (and Queen Rearing)
Written Resource: Check out Larry Connor's Queen Rearing Essentials- Video: The University of Guelph has videos on:
- Finding and replacing queens:
- Grafting and creating cell builders:
- Workshops: Check out queen rearing workshops offered through Warm Colors Apiary, Wetlands Apiaries or MDAR
