The Countdown Begins: New Bees and Big Plans for May!

The calendar says it is the first of May, but if you stepped into my kitchen in central Maine right now, you might be tempted to check the month again. The wood stove is crackling in the background, a cozy reminder that Mother Nature has not quite received the memo that spring is officially here.

Despite the lingering chill, there is a serious buzz of anticipation in the air: our bees are scheduled to arrive by the 10th!

This season feels different. We have been preparing the apiary and getting everything staged, and the excitement is definitely building. Here is what is on the horizon for our hives this year:

Why Nucs are a Game Changer

This year, we are bringing in four nucs (nucleus colonies), each featuring a marked queen. Starting with nucs is a fantastic way to hit the ground running. Since they come with established frames of brood, honey, and pollen, the colony is already a functioning unit.

Having marked queens will make our hive inspections much more efficient — finding “Her Majesty” among thousands of workers is always a fun challenge, but a little bit of neon paint goes a long way!

Room to Grow

One of the best parts of this year's setup is that we have a few empty hives ready and waiting, complete with drawn comb. In the beekeeping world, drawn comb is like “liquid gold.” It saves the bees an immense amount of energy and resources, allowing them to get straight to work.

Having these extra setups gives us the perfect flexibility for:

Back to Basics

We have decided to move the hives back to the original spot on the property where we first started. Over the years, we have noticed the bees just seem to “thrive” better in that specific microclimate. They have good sun exposure and protection from the wind — two vital ingredients for a healthy Maine apiary.

Now, we just need the mercury to climb a few more degrees! Once the forage starts blooming and the sun stays out, those hives are going to be a whirlwind of activity.