Spring in the Bee Yard (March–May)

Late Winter Transition → Peak Spring Expansion

 

Primary Spring Goals

  • Protect and stabilize - transition from survival to expansion
  • Build population aggressively but deliberately before main nectar flow
  • Maintain nutritional sufficiency
  • Stay ahead of congestion and swarming
  • Enter June at peak strength

 

 

Major Spring Risks

  • Starvation during rapid brood expansion

  • Chilled brood (early inspections)

  • Colonies outpacing weather

  • Early swarm impulse

  • Queen underperformance or loss

  • Overcrowding

Spring To-Do

  • Plan and execute splits

  • Order/install packages & queens

  • Register hives (by April 1 where required)

  • Equalize weak/strong colonies

  • Add brood boxes at 80% drawn

  • Super ahead of nectar flow

  • Actively manage swarm impulse

Seasonal Theme: Controlled expansion → Rapid growth → Swarm management
Overall Objective: Build strong, healthy colonies ready for the main nectar flow while preventing starvation, disease, and swarming.

Weather Trends

  • March: 29–51°F; 1.4" rain; 0.9" snow
  • April: 34–60°F; 1.2" rain; freezing nights possible
  • May: 42–70°F; 1.5" rain; stable warming
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March - Fragile Expansion

Bee Mood & Activity

  • Irritable
  • sensitive to cold disturbance
  • cleansing flights

Brood Development

  • Brood nest expanding
  • Nurse Population increasing
  • Modest but growing colony size
  • 5-8 frames of bees

Inspections/Equipment Management:

  • Quick check on first 50°F day
  • Assess brood pattern & stores
  • Heft boxes to check weight
  • Clear entrances
  • Prep new boxes
  • Mouse guards on with entrance reduced
  • Clean gear
  • Check moisture

Food Management:

  • Rapid consumption
  • High starvation risk
  • Feed 1:1 syrup if <2 frames capped honey or brood expansion outpaces intake
  • Provide pollen if needed

Pest & Disease Management

  • Varroa check as weather permits
  • Treat if ≥3 mites per 100 bees
  • Nosema risk in weak colonies

 

April - Awakening Phase

Bee Mood & Activity

  • Alert
  • guarding increases
  • pollen foraging
  • wax production begins

Brood Development

  • Strong brood production
  • Drones appearing late month
  • Population accelerating
  • 7-10 frames of brood

Inspection/Equipment Management

  • First full inspection
  • Inspections every 2–3 weeks
  • confirm queenright
  • evaluate eggs/larvae/capped brood
  • Add supers to prevent crowding
  • Reverse boxes (if overwintered in double deeps)
  • Clean/replace moldy equipment
  • Clean dead outs
  • Gradually open entrance (55–60°F highs)
  • Remove insulation

Food Management

  • Stores declining
  • Feed 1:1 syrup if <2 frames capped honey or cold snap stalls flow

Pest & Disease Management

  • Varroa increasing with brood
  • Continue monitoring and treat at threshold

May - Explosive Growth

Bee Mood & Activity

  • Highly active
  • swarm impulse building
  • intense nectar/pollen foraging

Brood Development

  • Wall-to-wall brood
  • Heavy drone production
  • Peak brood nest size
  • 10-14 frames of bees

Inspection/Equipment Management

  • Inspection every 7–10 days
  • check for swarm cells (bottom bars)
  • Add brood space before needed
  • Remove mouse guards & entrance reducers

Food Management

  • Feed only splits or weak nucs
  • Avoid overfeeding (can crowd brood nest & trigger swarming)

Pest & Disease Management

  • Test mid–late May
  • Avoid honey-contaminating treatments during nectar flow

Major Spring Forage in Eastern Washington

Early Spring - March

  • Maple – pollen

  • Willow – pollen

  • Serviceberry – nectar & pollen

  • Oregon grape – nectar

  • Early fruit trees

 

Mid-Spring - April

  • Apple – nectar & pollen

  • Cherry – nectar & pollen

  • Dandelion – nectar & pollen

  • Camas – nectar

  • Early wildflowers

Late Spring - May

  • Clover – nectar & pollen

  • Black locust

  • Alfalfa

  • Lupine – nectar & pollen

  • Mixed meadow blooms