 Graduate student Harriet Harris preparing to add a medium brood box to a colony started as a package this spring. Photo by Eric Malcolm, May 28, 2026. | Time in the Yard: 6 hours 31 minutes Avg Time per Colony: 7 minutes Total Colonies: 67 Temperature (°F): Hi: 81° Low: 49° Avg: 65.5° Total Precipitation: 1.36” |
Actions:
Reviewed lab diagnostic results for our sampled colonies. Added one medium box to all but one of our package colonies (n=35).
Treated overwintered colonies in the yards that had one or more colonies above 2 mites per 100 bees.
Treated with Formic Pro (n=20), 2 strips per colony.
Observations:
A lot of brood has emerged since our last inspections and colonies’ populations are growing. Overwintered colonies have enough food for their immediate needs but have still not produced much surplus honey.
Reflections:
This week and the first 3 days of next week are projected to be below 85° and we wanted to take this opportunity to apply formic acid treatments prior to the hot summer weather.
Things in bloom:
Amur Honeysuckle, Russian Sage, Dutch Clover, Red Clover, Catalpa, Southern Arrowwood , Elderberry, Butterfly Weed, Sweet Yellow Clover, Japanese Lilac Tree, Golden Raintree, Chicory, Basswood, Rhododendron, Mountain Laurel, Catalpa, Hubricht’s Bluestar, Multi-flora Rose, Ground Ivy, Common Cinquefoil, White Dogwood, Border Privet, Yucca (Adam's Needle), Oakleaf Hydrangea, Common Yarrow, Sweet William, Foxglove Beardtongue, Magnolia
Reviewed lab diagnostic results for our sampled colonies. Added one medium box to all but one of our package colonies (n=35).
Treated overwintered colonies in the yards that had one or more colonies above 2 mites per 100 bees.
Treated with Formic Pro (n=20), 2 strips per colony.
Observations:
A lot of brood has emerged since our last inspections and colonies’ populations are growing. Overwintered colonies have enough food for their immediate needs but have still not produced much surplus honey.
Reflections:
This week and the first 3 days of next week are projected to be below 85° and we wanted to take this opportunity to apply formic acid treatments prior to the hot summer weather.
Things in bloom:
Amur Honeysuckle, Russian Sage, Dutch Clover, Red Clover, Catalpa, Southern Arrowwood , Elderberry, Butterfly Weed, Sweet Yellow Clover, Japanese Lilac Tree, Golden Raintree, Chicory, Basswood, Rhododendron, Mountain Laurel, Catalpa, Hubricht’s Bluestar, Multi-flora Rose, Ground Ivy, Common Cinquefoil, White Dogwood, Border Privet, Yucca (Adam's Needle), Oakleaf Hydrangea, Common Yarrow, Sweet William, Foxglove Beardtongue, Magnolia