The Apiary Year - September
- The colony is now diminishing faster.
- Drones are being evicted
- In the super:
- Extract the honey
- But
- Are there enough stores for the winter?
- A colony requires about 20kg of stores for winter
- That is one full super and at least three frames in the brood box.
- If there is not that much then feed with heavy syrup or fondant.
- In the brood box:
- Start varroa treatment
- Continue swarm prevention methods.
- Is this a strong colony?
- At least four frames of brood all season
- If not consider uniting colonies
- Restrict the hive entrance to prevent robbing.
- Put on a mouseguard.
- Reconfigure the hive for winter
- Roof at the top - where else?
- An empty super with insulation and feeder/fondant
- Crownboard
- Brood box- which was probably much lower
- NO queen excluder
- A super with stores
- Open mesh floor with mouse guard and restricted entrance.
- Strap the whole hive together.
- A strapped fallen over hive can be lifted up again and may be OK
- An unstrapped fallen over hive all separated is probably all cold and wet and doomed
- Expect to spend 2 to 3 hours a month on each hive.
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