Calendar for the Management of Beekeeping
September
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From the Rev. Langstroth: This is often a very busy month with bees. The Fall flowers come into blossom, and in some seasons colonies which have hitherto amassed but little honey, become heavy and even yield a surplus to their owner. Bees are very reluctant to work in boxes, so late in the season, even if supplies are very abundant; but if empty combs are inserted in the place of full ones removed, they will fill them with astonishing celerity. These full combs may afterwards be returned, if the bees have not a sufficient supply without them. They can be profitably used for making new stocks, out of bees driven from hives condemned, by old fashioned bee-keepers, to the sulphur pit. If no Fall supplies abound, and any stocks are too light to winter with safety, then, in the Northern States, the latter part of this month is the proper time for feeding them. I have already stated that it is impossible to tell how much food a colony will require to carry it safely through the winter; it will be found, however, very unsafe to trust to a bare supply, for even if there is food enough, it may not always be readily accessible to the bees. For this reason I prefer lo leave in all my hives a very generous supply, as I can easily remove any surplus in the Spring. If the aggregate resources of the colonies are sufficient, those which have not enough, may be supplied from those having a superabundance. In some cases the bee-keeper may prefer, by uniting several destitute stocks, to save the labor and expense of feeding. Great caution will still be necessary to guard against robbing, but if there are no feeble, queenless, or impoverished stocks, the bees, unless tempted by improper management, will seldom rob each other. |
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.
- Any honey frames left for the bees need to be put into the brood chamber.
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.
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 |
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. |