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June 2026

in your Central Oregon Apiary

Colonies are growing fast, flowers are blooming, and the bees seem determined to make up for lost time after winter.

Most nucs and packages should be settling in by now. Keep an eye on how quickly they’re building. If a colony is covering most of the frames in its box, it’s probably time to think about giving it more room. Strong overwintered colonies should also be checked for crowding and swarm cells. The bees don’t always agree with our management plans. Also keep in mind that although swarms are natural, they can be disruptive to your neighbors. Try to mitigate your swarms and be a good neighbor.

The weather has been fairly typical for Central Oregon so far…nice flying afternoons mixed with cool nights and a few breezy days. Smaller colonies may still need some help if forage is spotty or if they feel light.

June is also a good time to look closely at brood patterns and colony health. Healthy larvae should be pearly white, and brood patterns should be reasonably solid. If something doesn’t look right, take notes and ask questions before moving equipment between colonies.

And, of course, mites. If you haven’t done a mite count yet, now is the time. A colony can look great and still have a mite problem developing. Use an alcohol wash or powdered sugar roll, write down the results, and use those numbers to guide your decisions.

Our current COBKA mite series continues this month with The Art of Mite War, Part II. If you have questions about treatments, timing, or mite counts, bring them along. The July meeting will continue the discussion using the Honey Bee Health Coalition’s excellent Varroa management resources.

Finally, remember that fire season is underway in Central Oregon. Use smokers carefully and make sure they’re completely out before leaving the apiary.

Enjoy the longer days, watch your bees, and take good notes. June has a way of teaching us something new every year.