Thanks to Honey Bee News I've been listening to the commentary on the videos that they have. Im not allowed to actually watch the videos at work but the commentary in the back ground helps pass the day as i work. One of the thing i really want to do this year is get better at my mite management. I'm pretty sure that's been one of the contributing factors in some of the losses last year. So this year I've been reading u on different methods. I have always wanted to be as chemical free as i could be. I have used IPM boards and standard bottom boards . I have noticed here the bee's do seem to build up better with IPM boards. So I'm going to be changing all mu bottom boards to IPM. I've also done my first sugar shake. 2 of the hives where not to bad about it but one of them is very hot ( Will have to re-queen this year) I got a sieve and just dusted each box down. I'm also looking at getting some drone frames. The idea is once a month with your sugar shake you take these frames out and freeze them for 24hrs. I'm not sure if on a commercial front this would be practical or viable but I'm a hobbits so something new.

Lastly i have noticed i have a few hive beetles. This is new in the 2 seasons we have been doing this i never saw them before but they turned up towards the end of last year and look like they are here to stay. I have AJ's Beettle Eater and will be installing them shortly.

I wont be buying packages this season but i will be collecting swarms and doing cut outs for people. I have still to go and check on my hive in Texas and will probably bring that back with me and use it for splits.

I have been looking at queens to use in re-queening and will think about doing that once the main honey flow April-June is over.

The weather as always is being particularly unusual in that its been very cold until a week ago and constant rain, So I'm feeding pollen patties and sugar water (1:1) to build them up ready to attack the clover which has started to bloom already.