July Monthly Tips

For most, the nectar flow is completely finished by early July. If you plan to
harvest your honey, you should do so quickly to ensure the bees do not consume
too much of their stores.
Your bees are entering one of the most critical periods of the entire year. Varroa
mite populations typically peak in July, making treatment critical once honey is
removed. Use a treatment that is able to withstand high temperatures, like
Apivar. Fumigant treatments such as Apiguard (Thymol), although effective, need
to be administered in half doses on weaker hives, and use caution in extreme
heat on any hive. Oxalic acid is effective only during a broodless period and
shouldn’t be expected to be effective. Apistan and Checkmite are no longer
viable due to mite resistance. Hopguard can be somewhat effective, but make
sure to test for mites after treatment as it can be ineffective in some conditions.
Therefore, Apivar is currently the most effective and reliable treatment in high
temperatures.
Of importance immediately after harvesting honey is feeding your bees. In July
there are virtually no major nectar-producing flowers blooming, but your bees are
still rearing brood and still require large amounts of food to maintain their
strength. Hence, we encourage all beekeepers to begin feeding and not stop until
each hive has a 30-pound surplus of syrup stored in the second box. This will
guarantee that your bees have the resources they need to live and thrive. Even a
few weeks without enough food or with excessively high mite levels can
drastically damage your hive.
Heat is much harder on bees than cold, and in the most southern states, heat
poses some unique challenges for hives. In addition to treating mites and feeding
immediately, be sure to provide a water source for your hive and to slightly crack
the lid for additional ventilation or add spacers under the lid. Adding an empty
box above your current boxes can provide some dead air space and a buffer
from the hot lid. Make sure your hive has at least two boxes instead of one deep
box.
One of the most important things to keep in mind as a beekeeper is the fact that
winter preparation begins as soon as you harvest honey. Many beekeepers begin
winter preparation when the first major cold front hits in October or November,
but that is far too late. Most “winter” losses are actually a result of improper care
during the summer months. Hives may appear alive and well over the summer,
but they can actually be starving and infested with mites—and mites transfer
viruses to the bees. You may not notice a dramatic decline until the issues have
reached a critical point in fall or winter, but the invisible damage was done over
the summer.
If you want to grow your hive count in the following year, you can place supers of foundation directly on top of your brood nest and feed the hive continually over the summer. The bees will draw out the comb, which can give you your comb for the next year and eliminate the need to draw out foundation on a honey flow. The constant food and the chance to work are great for the bees over the summer months as well.