Beekeeping Through The Year

Autumn

Harvest any remaining surplus honey, but leave enough for the bees for food for winter

Begin to feed the bees if flowering plants have all but disappeared

Remove surplus hive parts, such as supers, if the colony has reduced in size.

Do a final check-up for any diseases or pests

Secure hives to withstand the winter cold and rain

Monitor hives to ensure they are not being adversely affected by harsh weather

Reduce hive entrances if there are particularly cold spells

Ensure that the hive is not overly sealed as this can result in damaging condensation

Continue feeding those colonies with limited food reserves

Carry out maintenance on equipment ahead of the busy period that lies ahead

When the weather starts to warm up, inspect all brood boxes for disease

Replace at least two old frames with full sheets of new foundation wax

Keep an eye on the tendency to swarm during this rapid build-up period

Add supers as the swarm grows and nectar starts flowing in

Consider equalising your colonies by giving brood from bigger swarms to weaker ones

Carry out frequent inspections to ensure the queen is laying well and that the brood patterns are regular

Free up additional space for the queen to lay if necessary

Keep an eye out for any diseases or pests

Make sure there are water sources near your hives

Harvest honey and return the empty supers to the hive as soon as possible