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 an excellent video series. Some individual topics covered in this video series are listed 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 a beekeeping calendar for the Northeast from the Cornell Bee Lab
- See Ohio State's webinar series, with lectures from bee experts
- 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
