Winter is well and truly here but we have passed the winter solstice so days will slowly start getting longer. As the days do lengthen, get warmer and the fairly mild winter, we have been having could result in hives building a bit earlier than normal. This could be especially true if warmer than usual weather brings about earlier than usual spring flowers. Things to be aware of are that you hive has plenty of resources and signs of swarming.
An alcohol wash as soon as the weather allows will also be important. The varroa heat maps shows new detections along the coast near Wollongong and Nowra as it is still warm enough to test there. Early testing will be important to confirm whether we are still varroa free in the region
The DPI have indicated that they are planning to hold a varroa management workshop in the Southern Tablelands at the end of July. This is likely to be held on a Saturday to make it easier for recreational beekeepers to attend. Keep an eye on your emails. I encourage anyone who hasn’t been to a workshop to make the effort to get there.