In early spring, after the season has settled and there's no strong wind, it's time to conduct a thorough inspection of all beehives. Remove any excess empty supers to keep the bees more densely packed. Clear away wax buildup at the bottom of the hive to reduce the chances of mite infestation. If the colony is too sparse, feed them immediately. Ensure that each hive has a queen. For weak colonies with less than three boxes, they can be combined with stronger hives in the same box. Place an iron mesh board between the two boxes to separate them, but leave their entrances open so the bees can still move freely.
Strengthen insulation by reducing the size of the hive entrance to about 2-3 cm. Keep the distance between the brood frames at 8-9 mm. Insulate the outer space of the divider boards and inner cover using hay cushions. From March to April, gradually remove the insulating curtains starting from the outside and moving inward. Mountain regions should delay this process compared to lowland areas, and weaker colonies should be insulated later than stronger ones.
Before expanding the brood nest during the rape flowering season, monitor the colony's strength and provide timely feeding. When a large number of new bees start emerging, add small empty supers between existing ones. Once the eggs are laid, add another empty super. In case of a cold snap, temporarily pause adding supers. Bees often chew on old combs in late winter—cut off the dark, old parts and let worker bees repair them for the queen to lay eggs. When the colony reaches 6-7 frames of bees and brood, look for white wax spots and add a new brood frame promptly. Spray a little sugar syrup on both sides of the brood area, and place it inside and outside the supers. Chinese bees are skilled at building natural comb, and the queen prefers to lay eggs on new combs.
When larvae increase in the hive, and the brood nest becomes overcrowded, the queen may stop laying eggs or reduce her activity. The hive may become too hot, and the presence of many drones and queen cells indicates that swarming is imminent. On clear and warm days, colonies may naturally split into swarms.
As the Italian bee colony expands to 8-9 boxes, add an empty box as a breeding area. As the colony grows, continue adding empty supers or frames. Collect nectar sources such as Ziyunying. By the first half of the week, each colony should have 10-12 supers and 14 frames of bees. Before sealing, cover the supers and arrange them properly. Place eggs, brood, and supers into the hive box. Put two boxes of brood bases, two empty supers, and the queen in the main hive box. Insert a queen excluder between the hive box and the added box. Once the supers are removed from the hive lid, the empty space will be released. If the colony has fewer than 14 frames, adjust the young bees in the weak group and seal the lid to help them build up strength.
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