Preparing for Winter
*Late AUGUST and early September are VERY IMPORTANT
In Eastern North Carolina, late August and early September could be the most important months in the beekeepers calendar. It’s the time when these tasks need to be completed to set your hives up to overwinter successfully:
1. Test, Treat & Test again for Varroa Mites - Make sure your varroa mite levels are near zero. If you’re “mite-free” by September 1, your bees will be healthy and raise very strong “over wintering bees” in late September & October. These bees will have to live from November - February to maintain your colony numbers.
2. Equalize your Hives- Take the time to move capped brood frames between all your hives to make sure they are all the same size & strength.
3. Determine the size of colony that your bees will overwinter in- Do you need to feed your colony to build…
I have read the post and agree to look for the queen or some recent brood laid by the queen if you have a large hive. In my experience some bees do become a little easier to agitate in the fall of the year. especially if they have honey to protect for their food. A good portion of it also might simply be their genetics. The bees I have now are super docile and not easily agitated. I have had some though that were very aggressive and would sting , especially if the person was wearing cologne or perfumes. Also if my bee suit gets too many odors from bees attacking it etc. I find if I wash it, the next time they aren't as aggressive. The time of day you pull your honey, can also be a factor in contributing to bee aggression. Hope this helps.