September

Pixabay/Larson9236

And relax, well almost…

In honesty, this is a month when there’s a chance to take a well-earned break. Beekeepers don’t holiday much from April to August. If you do get away, then this can mean some rushing around once you’re back.

Honey

Harvest any remaining honey. Do leave the bees enough for themselves though! 20kg is normally recommended. A brood frame weighs about 2.5kg, a super frame about 1kg. Feed if required.

Inspections

Reduce inspection frequency but do check for signs of pests or disease.

Varroa

Have you monitored your Varroa drop? If high, above 10 per day, have you considered a treatment?

It is getting late for Varroa treatments. Many have reduced effectiveness below 15˚C. There are more details in August BBKA News, flick back or check the details online at https://bbkanews.com/

Most Varroa treatments require the removal of honey supers before they are used. Some treatments seem to cause bees to stop taking syrup while they are on, so sometimes this means a tough choice between feeding and treating.

Are your colonies viable?

Check that your colonies are queenright. Maybe unite any colonies that are too weak to overwinter.

A personal definition of weak is having never got above 4 to 5 frames of brood all season. ‘Take your losses in the autumn’ is a phrase to remember. A lot of time and effort hoping a weak colony will make it can be in vain.

Winter stores/feeding

Inspect stores and consider feeding with thick syrup mix in late summer/early autumn if underweight.

Sugar prices mean feeding isn’t a cheap option. Fondant or baker’s fondant are popular winter choices once syrup feeding has ended. Give bees time to get stores sealed before it gets too cold. Once feeding, remember to keep feeders topped-up; you might be surprised how quickly they can store it.

Feeding syrup should be finished by the end of this month. An average of 20kg in stores is needed to get a colony through winter. Heft the hive to get a feel for the weight so you can compare later.

Kit repair, cleaning & storage

Stacking boxes, especially brood boxes, that have frames with a sheet of newspaper between each can help avoid wax moth. Frames can be sterilised using 80% acetic (ethanoic) acid. The acid damages metal and concrete so wear PPE! Other wooden equipment can be scraped and scorched.
 
Poly/plastic kit can be cleaned in a diluted bleach solution. Methylated spirits is a good way to remove propolis from objects like Porter bee escapes.

Configuring for winter

Supers are often best reduced or removed by now as forage is likely to be dwindling. Some beekeepers like to put a super with stores underneath the brood box over winter (nadiring); it also lifts the bees up from open mesh floors. If you do this, remove queen excluders.

Pests

Wasps
Wasps can become an increasing nuisance. Stronger colonies are more able to fend off wasp attacks. Ensure there are no unintended entrances to hives – wasps will find them! Don’t spill syrup when feeding. Defences may have some impact but please be aware of bycatch issues. The BBKA’s position statement on wasps is available at:  https://tinyurl.com/2887rr57

Yellow-legged Asian hornets
BBKA Asian Hornet Week is 2–8 September

Raising public awareness is critical. Yellow-legged Asian hornets are approaching their peak worker population. Sexuals i.e., drones and unmated queens, can start to be produced. Predation in affected areas may be high. Reporting and National Bee Unit nest destruction is a priority. Monitoring bait stations may help to identify if hornets are in low-risk areas. Apiary defences and selective traps may be needed if predation is taking place. Minimising bycatch is important.

Autumn storms

Strap down and weigh down hives; autumn storms often start this month.