Calendar for the Management of Beekeeping
October
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From the Rev. Langstroth: Forage is now almost entirely exhausted in most localities, and colonies which are too light should be fed early in this month. If feeding is begun too early, in seasons when late forage is abundant, there will be a great waste of honey. In this month, at the very latest, the exact condition of every stock should be known, and if any are found in a queenless condition, they should be broken up. Small colonies should be united to others, and all the hives put into proper condition for wintering. Some full honeycombs should be put in the center of the hive, and holes, for easy intercommunication, be made in the combs. Since putting to press the remarks on wintering bees, I have succeeded in devising a very simple, cheap and efficient method, by which in new frames, the requisite winter passages will be left by the bees, so that movable frames may be safely used, without the necessity of opening the hives to make the holes. In describing the advantages of punk-smoke, for subduing bees, it ought to have been stated that no utensil of any kind will be needed for using it; the Apiarian being able to blow the smoke upon the bees with his mouth better than in any other way. I find that the punk from hard wood is the best. Hives not made of doubled materials, if they are to winter out of doors, should be protected. By the last of October, the glass hives should be thoroughly packed, between the outside cases and the glass, with cotton, or any other warm material. |
Apiary Activities for this Month
Continue to inspect colonies every 7-10 days.
Test at least one hive in the apiary Varroa. Action is needed if the Varroa mite level is ≥ 2% (2 mites / 100 bees sampled). (see also IPM, below).
As noted by the Rev. Langstroth, any colonies which are at risk should be considered for merging with another colony. This could be due to it being queenless, or just too few bees. And as the late Kim Flottum was famous for saying, take your losses in the Fall (i.e., better to merge a weak colony than lose it). Then, in the Spring, the apiarist can consider splitting this colony.
In Ohio, we look at when the goldenrod and ironweed start to dry up. These are pretty much the last flowering plants for the bees for the season, and are a good indicator of when it is time to make the transition. When that happens:
- Pull all the honey supers and queen excluder off the hive(s).
- At this time of year, the bees are using more energy to forage for food, and they are bring back less. Begin feeding each colony with 2:1 sugar water (2 parts sugar:1 part water) or Hive Alive liquid. Continue feeding the colony until:
- The colony no longer takes any more of the sugar water, or
- The weather has gotten so cold that the water is freezing.
- Check the pollen stores. As noted above, late August thru early September is about the last chance for providing them with protein supplements the will need.
Ensure each hive has a guard against mice. If not blocked from entering the hive, they will choose to nest in the hive as it will be nice and warm for them, and there will an ample food supply. There are some commercial mouse guards available for purchase, or the apiarist can staple #4 hardware cloth to the inside of the entrance reducer (affixing the hardware cloth to the outside of the entrance reducer will enable vermin to remove it).
Start working the bees into smaller hive configurations:
- For the 5-frame hives, no more than 3 mediums or 2 deeps.
- For the 8-frame or 10-frame hives, no more than 2 mediums or 1 deep.
If the colony is given too much room, they will not be able to keep it warm in the Winter and the colony will perish.
These items need to be completed in October due to the local weather.
Other Activities for this Month
Secure ~15 bales of straw for Winterizing the apiary.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
More information is available about Integrated Pest Management.
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Pest Management Controls |
Addresses |
| Cultural Options | |
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Strap the hives to a secure stand. This helps to ensure the larger critters cannot push the hives over (e.g., by a deer rubbing against the side), and stops racoons from opening the top. |
High winds, large critters, & medium sized critters |
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Ensure mouse guards are in place. This can be a separate device, or the entrance reducers could have #4 hardware cloth covering them. |
Mice |
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Add or replace beetle traps as necessary. |
Small hive beetles |
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Add a carpet tack strip to the entrance board to defer critters |
Skunks |
| Genetic Options | |
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It is getting late in the season, but you can still replace your queen with one which will sire Varroa-resistant stock. That is discussed more in Genetic Stock, along with options. |
Varroa |
| Chemical Options | |
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Action is needed if the Varroa mite level is ≥ 2% (2 mites / 100 bees).
There should be no honey supers on the hive just yet, but they may be added in late April or early May. Take that into account when planning what to use. |
Varroa |
Other IPM Notes
If you are a proponent of screened bottom boards, and swap them out for solid bottom boards for the Winter, October is the best time for doing that.
Pests not Addressed by this IPM Matrix
These pests are not addressed by the IPM matrix above. If you experience damage from these pests, contact your local bee inspector or the bee club.
- Bears - electric fencing is needed here and you will need to consult someone with experience about that.
More Information
Books and Papers
- A Practical Treatise on the Hive and Honey-Bee, 2d Edition, 1857, by the Rev. Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth
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Disclaimer: eMail comments to me at BeekeepingBoK @ Gmail.com. The process of beekeeping can cause injury or be a health hazard unless proper precautions are taken, including the wearing of appropriate protective equipment. |