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33.9249° S, 18.4241° ECAPE TOWN, WC
Professional Beekeeping

Hive Management
Services

We take full responsibility for your colonies — regular inspections, disease control, Varroa treatment, and swarm prevention — so your bees stay strong all year.

Who We Work With

Built for Busy Beekeepers

Hobby Beekeepers

You love having bees but don't always have the time, experience, or confidence to manage them properly. We do the hands-on work; you stay informed through our written reports.

Smallholders & Farmers

You run bees alongside other farming activities. We integrate hive management into your property schedule so colonies don't get neglected during busy seasons.

Commercial Operations

High hive counts require systematic, documented management. We provide structured inspection cycles, treatment records, and colony performance reporting.

Every Visit

What a Management Visit Covers

Every inspection is a complete colony assessment — not a quick look. We open every box, work every frame, and leave you with a written record.

01

Queen Status & Brood Pattern

We locate the queen (or confirm her presence by brood), assess her laying pattern, and flag any signs of failing queens, emergency cells, or drone-laying workers.

02

Disease Screening

Frame-by-frame check for AFB, EFB, chalkbrood, and sacbrood. Zero tolerance for AFB — affected colonies are handled immediately in line with DALRRD protocol.

03

Varroa Mite Monitoring & Treatment

Alcohol wash or sugar roll mite counts at each visit. Treatment is applied when counts exceed threshold — using an evidence-based rotation of registered acaricides.

04

Swarm Prevention

We check for and remove swarm cells, add space where needed, and split congested colonies before they swarm. Proactive management, not reactive rescue.

05

Food Stores Assessment

Honey and pollen stores are assessed at each visit. We supplement with sugar syrup or dry sugar during dearth periods to prevent starvation.

06

Written Inspection Report

Every visit produces a written report per hive: queen status, brood health, mite count, stores, any treatments applied, and what to watch for before the next visit.

The Problem With Neglect

Most Colony Losses Are Preventable

The majority of hive losses in the Western Cape come down to three things: uncontrolled Varroa mite populations, swarming (leading to queenless colonies), and disease that goes undetected until it's too late. All three are manageable with consistent, skilled inspections.

A colony that is inspected every two weeks during the active season is a colony that doesn't surprise you. Problems are caught at the frame level before they become colony-level failures.

85%

of colony losses in SA can be attributed to Varroa mite infestation — fully preventable with a consistent treatment protocol.

14 days

is the critical inspection interval during swarming season to catch and remove swarm cells before the colony divides.

0

tolerance for American Foulbrood — the only statutory notifiable bee disease in South Africa. Early detection saves apiaries.

100%

written record-keeping. Every treatment, every mite count, every queen event — documented and available to you.

Scope of Service

Key Management Areas

Varroa Control

  • Alcohol wash mite counts
  • Oxalic acid vaporisation
  • Amitraz strip rotation
  • Post-treatment efficacy checks

Queen Management

  • Queen location & assessment
  • Failing queen replacement
  • Mated queen introduction
  • Re-queening for temperament

Swarm Prevention

  • Swarm cell removal
  • Colony splits
  • Space management (supers)
  • Congestion monitoring

Disease Management

  • AFB / EFB screening
  • Chalkbrood management
  • Small hive beetle trapping
  • Statutory notification if required

Nutrition & Feeding

  • Honey store assessment
  • Sugar syrup supplementation
  • Pollen supplement feeding
  • Dearth period monitoring

Record Keeping

  • Per-hive inspection reports
  • Treatment history log
  • Mite count trending
  • Colony performance notes
Common Questions

Hive Management — What Beekeepers Ask

How often should hives be inspected?

During the active season (spring and summer) hives should be inspected every 7–14 days to monitor queen status, brood health, and Varroa mite loads, and to catch early signs of swarming. In winter, inspections can drop to once a month since colony activity is reduced. We tailor the inspection schedule to your location, colony size, and goals.

What does a hive management visit include?

Each visit includes a full frame-by-frame inspection covering queen status and laying pattern, brood health (AFB, EFB, chalkbrood checks), Varroa mite count, food stores assessment, swarm cell checks, and a written report with recommendations. Treatment applications are carried out during the same visit when needed.

Do you manage hives on my property?

Yes. We manage hives on-site at your property across the Western Cape. Whether you have one hive or fifty, we come to you on an agreed schedule. You receive written inspection reports after each visit so you always know the condition of your colonies.

What Varroa treatment do you use?

We use a rotation of registered treatments — oxalic acid (vaporisation and trickle), amitraz-based strips, and ApiLife Var — selected based on the time of year, brood status, and mite load. We never apply the same treatment repeatedly, and we monitor post-treatment mite drops to confirm efficacy.

Can you re-queen a struggling colony?

Yes. If a colony is queenless, drone-laying, or has a failing queen, we can source and introduce a mated Cape honeybee queen. We follow a structured introduction protocol to maximise acceptance rates and monitor the new queen at the follow-up visit.

Let's Look After Your Bees

Tell us how many hives you have and where they are. We'll put together an inspection schedule that fits your operation.

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