Beekeeping Calendar

The colony reaches its highest bee count of the year in this period and then declines. This narrow band between the peak of the population curve and the start of the decline determines the strength with which the colony will enter winter.

The Turn in the Queen's Laying

When the nectar flow stops, the queen's daily laying rate drops markedly. A queen that laid 1,500-2,000 eggs per day during the flow drops to 800-1,200 in this period, and lower still by the end. This decline is normal and should not be prevented — it is the colony's resource management. A complete halt in laying, however, is not normal; it may signal queen loss, an ageing queen, or heavy varroa pressure.

The Summer Bee / Winter Bee Distinction

This is the most critical biological fact of the period. The great majority of bees in the hive right now are summer bees: lifespan 5-6 weeks, low fat-protein reserve (vitellogenin), their role to work and wear out. The bee that will carry the colony through winter has not yet been born.

The winter bee develops at the end of and after this period, from larvae that are fed abundant pollen. So the pollen management you do now determines the fat body of the bee that will overwinter four months from now. A colony that suffers pollen scarcity in this period experiences an inexplicable collapse in February.

Expulsion of the Drones

Once the flow ends, worker bees stop feeding the drones, drag them towards the entrance, and throw them out. Seeing dead or weakened drones on the landing board in this period is a sign of health — it shows the colony is behaving realistically. The opposite is worrying: a colony still feeding drones is usually queenless or trying to raise a queen.

The Balance Between Population and Stores

A crowded colony is not an advantage in this period but an expense. Feeding 50,000 bees with no income depletes stores rapidly. The experienced beekeeper looks not at population in this period, but at the amount of honey per bee. A very crowded but storeless colony is riskier than a moderately crowded but full one.

Frame-by-Frame Expectation

A healthy colony in this period should typically cover 8-12 frames of bees, with 4-6 frames of brood. The brood area should be narrower than in the flow period but tight and regular. A scattered, patchy brood area in this period is a sign of varroa or disease and must be examined immediately.

Inspection frequency decreases in this period but the purpose of the inspection changes. Development is no longer monitored; the inventory of the colony entering winter is taken. Every inspection in this period should produce a decision: will this colony go into winter, be combined, or be supported?

Inspection Frequency and Timing

An inspection every 10-14 days is sufficient. Inspect early morning or late afternoon — opening a hive in the midday heat risks both comb collapse and robbing. Keep the hive open for as short a time as possible; an open hive in this period is a billboard for robber bees.

What to Check

• Stores: How many frames of capped honey? Above and beside the brood nest?
• Pollen: Is there a pollen band, how much? This is the raw material of the winter bee.
• Queen: Is there egg-laying? Is the brood area tight or scattered?
• Varroa: Has a measurement been taken? (In this period, measurement, not guesswork.)
• Scale direction: Rising or falling?

Reading the Brood Area

In this period the brood area shrinks — this is expected. But shrinking and deteriorating are different things. A small but tight, evenly capped brood area is healthy. A small and patchy, sunken or perforated brood area is pathological. Failing to make this distinction leads to a troubled colony being put into winter and found dead in February.

Not Triggering Robbing

In this period the inspection itself is a risk. A drop of honey on the ground, a frame left exposed, a hive left open — all trigger robbing. The rules: carry frames in a closed transport box, never leave honey exposed in the apiary, close up as soon as the work is done.

The Moment of Decision

By the end of this period a clear decision must have been made for every colony. Putting a weak, queenless or diseased colony into winter with the thought "maybe it will recover" is the most common way to lose both that colony and its neighbours. The hard decision taken in this period is better than the soft decision taken in autumn.

This period is not a feeding period, but it is the period in which the feeding decision is made. Early syrup is not the start of winter preparation but the fuse of robbing.

Why Not Now

Giving syrup when there is no nectar in nature turns the apiary into a target. The smell of syrup draws neighbouring colonies, the strong colony bears down on the weak one's door, and chain robbing begins. Robbing started in this period ends with the wholesale loss of several colonies.

So When

Systematic autumn feeding belongs to the next period. Feeding in this period is done only as an emergency: if the colony's stores have fallen below 3-4 frames and there is a risk of starvation.

Rules If Emergency Feeding Is Needed

• Timing: Give at dusk, in an amount that will be finished by morning.
• Consistency: 1:1 (one part sugar, one part water). Thick syrup is not needed in this period.
• Location: Use an in-hive feeder. Open (mass) feeding in the middle of the apiary is absolutely not done in this period.
• Entrance: Reduce it before feeding.
• Cleanliness: Wipe up dripped syrup. A single drop starts robbing.

The Priority of Pollen

In this period pollen matters more than syrup. The fat body of the winter bee is built with pollen. If the pollen band is weak, a protein patty can be considered; but natural pollen is always superior to a patty, and moving the apiary to a location with a pollen source is a more permanent solution than feeding patties.

This is the period in which the fate of the varroa battle is decided. At no other time of year is varroa this dangerous, and at no other time is it this easily overlooked.

Varroa: The Gap Is Closing

The mechanism is this: varroa reproduction depends on the brood area. As the flow ends and the brood area narrows, the number of varroa does not fall, but the number of brood cells does. So the number of mites per brood cell multiplies. The same mite population means a much heavier infestation at the same time.

Worse: the bees being born now are the mothers and nurses of the winter bees that will carry the colony through. If varroa strikes this generation, the winter bees are born weak. A colony that looks strong in November collapses in February and the beekeeper cannot understand why. The cause was set in this period.

Measurement — Not Guesswork

In this period the sentence "I have no varroa, the bees look fine" is the most expensive sentence. By the time varroa becomes visible it is too late. Measurement is essential:

• Powdered sugar / alcohol wash: mites dropped in a sample of 300 bees are counted.
• Threshold: 3 mites per 100 bees (3%) is the intervention limit. Above 3% in this period = treat immediately.
• Bottom board count: alarm if the natural daily drop exceeds 8-10 mites.
• Sampling 10-20% of the apiary is sufficient, not every hive; but the sampled hives should be chosen at random.

Treatment Timing

Treatment must be completed before winter bee production begins. This period is the start of that window. Treatment follows once the honey is harvested — putting unnecessary weeks between harvest and treatment wastes the time gained.

Robbing

The second great threat of the period is robbing, and it usually starts with the beekeeper's own mistake. Signs: fighting at the entrance, torn bees on the ground, bees hanging at the hive front looking for a way in, foreign bees wandering the hive walls.

Prevention: reduce entrances (in a weak colony to the width of a single bee), leave no honey or comb exposed in the apiary, keep inspections short, remove empty supers from the hive.

Wasps and Hornets

In this period wasp colonies reach their own peak and turn to bees as a protein source. Wasps that wait on the landing board and snatch foragers in mid-air can be tolerated by a strong colony; they finish a weak one. Entrance reduction is the single most effective measure here too. Traps are supplementary, not a solution.

Wax Moth

The combs emptied after harvest are an ideal environment for wax moth. Supers removed from the hive are defenceless the moment they are no longer protected by bees. Combs to be stored must either be passed through a freezer or kept in a well-ventilated area under moth control.

The definition of this period is already the ending of the nectar source. But "ended" does not mean "none at all"; the character of the source has changed, and reading that change determines how much stores the colony enters autumn with.

The Withdrawal of the Main Sources

The large-mass species that provided the main flow have finished blooming. The remaining bloom is scattered, low-density, and largely at a maintenance level — it feeds the colony but does not let it build stores. Foragers keep working; this is the greatest factor that lures the beekeeper into the "the flow is continuing" illusion.

Sources That May Be Found in This Period

• Roadside and fallow weeds: Scattered but continuous. Provides maintenance.
• Irrigated farmland: Where there is irrigation, bloom is prolonged. Late species such as sunflower and clover may still yield depending on the region.
• Watersides and streambeds: The micro-habitat least affected by drought. Bees turn here in this period.
• High altitude: The flow may still be running in the highlands while it ends on the plain. This is the classic period for migratory beekeeping.
• Honeydew: In some regions pine and oak honeydew begins in this period. It brings in honey but is not suitable as winter stores — its mineral load is high and causes winter dysentery in bees.

The Critical Role of Pollen

In this period pollen should be monitored more than nectar. The reason is simple: nectar is this year's energy, pollen is next year's bee. The vitellogenin reserve of the winter bee is built with pollen. A colony whose pollen band weakens meets winter with weak bees.

The sources that provide pollen in this period are usually different from those that provide nectar: certain wild weeds, late-blooming plants and agricultural residues continue to supply pollen. The apiary's location should therefore be assessed not only by nectar but by pollen too.

Regional Reading

This is the period most sensitive to region. On the arid plain the flow ends sharply; in a wetter area, at high altitude, or in an irrigated farming region it can be prolonged for weeks. The calendar is no guide here — the hive scale and flower observation are the only true guides.

This is the period in which the year's main harvest is done or completed. As important as how much is harvested is when and how it is harvested, and that too is decided in this period.

Harvest Timing: The Capping Rule

Honey is harvested when at least 75-80% of the frame is capped. Uncapped honey is generally high in water and ferments. If in doubt, hold the frame horizontally and shake it: if honey drips out, it is not ripe.

If water content can be measured, use a refractometer. Target below 18%; honey above 20% carries fermentation risk and cannot be sold.

How Much Should Be Taken

This is the most important decision of the period and the most commonly made mistake is greed. A harvest made without leaving the winter share is then attempted to be covered with syrup in autumn — but syrup does not fully replace honey and its cost eats the profit of the harvest.

Practical rule: the honey and pollen in the brood chamber are untouchable. Harvest is only from the supers. Drawing honey from the brood chamber means breaking the colony's winter ring.

Harvest Method

• Bee escape (hive board): The most bee-friendly method. Placed 24-48 hours in advance, the super empties of bees.
• Brushing: Suitable for small operations, but stresses the bee and can trigger robbing.
• Blower: Fast, used in large operations.
• Chemical repellent: Its effect on honey quality is debated; if used, dose and duration must be strictly observed.

Harvest and Robbing

Harvest is the moment robbing is most often triggered. Removed frames must be carried in closed containers, extraction done in an enclosed space rather than in the apiary, and empty combs must not be left exposed after extraction. Comb left in the apiary for "the bees to clean" is the surest way to start robbing in that apiary.

Extraction and Storage

Extraction should be done on the day of harvest as far as possible — a waiting frame is both a moth and a robbing risk. Extracted honey is left to settle in a settling tank for 2-3 days and skimmed, then transferred to airtight containers. Honey absorbs odour; the storage place must be odourless, cool (14-18°C) and dark.

Other Products

Using a pollen trap in this period is not recommended — the colony needs pollen for winter bees and the trap draws off this source. Propolis harvest can be done; bees increase propolis collection in this period as winter preparation. Beeswax is obtained from the cappings taken during harvest and should be collected separately.

In terms of equipment this is the period in which two jobs overlap: harvest equipment is in heavy use, while winter equipment preparation must begin at the same time. A beekeeper who postpones the second is caught in autumn both out of time and unprepared.

Harvest Equipment

• Extractor: Must be dismantled, washed and dried before use. Honey residue from last year is a source of fermentation and odour.
• Uncapping knife / fork: If a knife is used, check the temperature setting; excessive heat caramelises the honey.
• Strainer and settling tank: Food-grade stainless steel or food-safe plastic. Galvanised containers are not used for honey.
• Bee escape: Make sure it is fitted the right way round; a reversed escape traps bees in the super.
• Closed transport box: Not a luxury but a necessity in this period.

Winter Equipment Preparation — Begins Now

The belief that winter preparation equipment should be bought in October is common. The truth: prepared now, fitted in autumn.

• Entrance reducers / mouse guards: Are there enough, are they sound?
• Insulation material: Whatever is to be used must be procured now and stored dry.
• In-hive feeders: Cracked, leaking? A leaking feeder means robbing.
• Floor boards: If a screened floor is to be used for varroa counting, it must be prepared now.

Storing Empty Combs

The combs left over after harvest are the biggest equipment problem of the period. Wax moth breeds fast at this temperature and can destroy a season's comb within weeks.

• Freezing: -18°C for 48 hours kills all stages. The cleanest method.
• Ventilated storage: Combs are stacked spaced apart so they get light and air. The moth loves dark, still air.
• Honey-smeared comb is never stored — it is cleaned by the bees first (inside the hive, not in the apiary).

Hive Body Maintenance

Emptied hive bodies are repaired and painted in this period. Wet wood rots in winter, and wind entering through a crack finishes the colony. The air temperature is ideal for paint in this period — the drying time is longer in autumn.

The Scale

The single most valuable piece of equipment of this period is the hive scale. It is the first to tell you the flow has ended. Even a simple scale placed under one reference hive in the apiary makes the decision for the fate of the entire apiary.

In this period the apiary site endures the year's harshest conditions: high temperature, drought, water scarcity and increasing robbing pressure. Managing the site is as decisive as the colony's health.

Water — The Number One Subject of the Period

The colony's water need peaks in this period. Water is used both for drinking and for hive cooling; bees spread the water they bring over the comb and evaporate it by fanning to cool the hive. A strong colony can consume 2-4 litres of water on a hot day.

• The water source should be at most 100-200 metres from the apiary. Distant water eats the forager's energy.
• There must be a surface the bee can settle on to avoid drowning: stones, cork, straw, moss, wood.
• Water must never be cut off. Once a bee finds an alternative source (a neighbour's pool, drip irrigation, a livestock trough) it commits to it, and it is very hard to bring it back. This is also the beginning of serious problems with neighbours.
• Place the water in shade; hot water both evaporates and grows algae.

Shade and Orientation

The midday sun is the hive's greatest enemy in this period. A hive in direct sun devotes so many bees to cooling that foraging drops, and in severe cases the comb collapses.

• A location providing afternoon shade is ideal; tree shade is best because it does not block air movement.
• If there is no shade, a light-coloured cover on the lid or a raised shade can be made. A dark object placed directly on the lid increases the heat.
• An entrance facing the morning in this period is an advantage; early flight allows foraging before the hot hours.

Ventilation

Providing airflow from bottom to top of the hive is critical in this period. The screened floor can be kept open, the lid slightly raised — but every opening is also a robbing door. The balance is this: ventilate from the top, defend from the bottom. Narrow entrance, open top ventilation.

Weed and Fire Safety

Drying weeds carry two risks in this period: they block the entrance and create a fire load. A strip of at least 1 metre around the hive must be kept clear. Cleaning by burning dry weeds is absolutely not done. The ash of the smoker must not be left before it is fully extinguished — this is the most common cause of apiary fires in this period.

Apiary Layout and Robbing

Apiary layout in this period is directly a safety matter. Spacing between hives, differences in flight direction, and visual markers make it easier for the bee to find its own hive. Drifting in this period carries both disease and robbing.

Weak colonies should not be left on the flight path of strong colonies; where possible they should be moved to the edge of the apiary, to a sheltered spot.

The Migration Decision

This is the period in which the migration decision is made, because the flow ends on the plain while it continues at high altitude. If migration is done, it must be done at night or very early morning, with the entrance closed and ventilation open. Migration in a closed hive in hot weather means the colony dies of suffocation.