How do I manage hives through summer?

To help bees cool the hive during summer heat, completely open the hive entrances and ensure adequate top ventilation. To prevent comb meltdown and brood loss, avoid placing hives in direct sunlight or install shading over them. Bees lower hive temperatures by evaporating water in summer, therefore keep a never-drying clean water source near the apiary. During heavy summer nectar flows, add honey supers on time and insert drawn combs so bees have enough storage room.

To prevent the queen from laying eggs in the honey supers and ruining quality, place a queen excluder above the brood box. Hive populations peak in early summer. Inspect and remove queen cells and relieve crowding to prevent bees from swarming. To prevent honey from fermenting, ensure that at least two-thirds of the honeycomb is capped with wax before harvesting. When nectar decreases in late summer, wasps and strong hives attack weak ones.

Narrow the hive entrances to prevent this. Varroa populations multiply quickly in summer, however never use chemical treatments before harvest to avoid honey residue. Hives experience stress after honey harvesting. Do not skip internal inspections to support the queen and maintain colony strength.