We covered a lot of great topics at Saturday's meeting, and here are some key actions to take:
• Remove Honey Supers: Any remaining honey supers should be taken off and extracted. Any nectar flow this fall, should be reserved for the bees.
• Check for Mites: Get a mite count and take necessary action if needed.
• Assess Hive Weight: Determine if your bees are light (less than 80 pounds). One frame of a capped deep is about 8 pounds. If they are, start feeding a 2 to 1 sugar syrup. You can manage mite control and feed at the same time.
• Feeding and Stimulation: If you have sufficient resources of pollen and honey, start feeding a 1 to 1 sugar syrup with added protein to stimulate winter bee production. 1 quart of syrup, 1 teaspoon of pollen powder, 1 teaspoon of Honey Bee Healthy Amino Bee Booster and 1 teaspoon of Honey Bee Healthy feeding stimulate. (Burns recipe) Note: a lot of the powder will precipitate out, it's not an emulsion it's a suspension, but they will get a fair amount particularly if you can feed from the bottom.
Remember, a large population of bees won't be beneficial if you have mites. Mites shorten the bees' lifespan. Similarly, if you don't have enough resources (capped honey and stored pollen), a large number of bees will not be useful as they will run out of food.
Stay vigilant and keep your hives healthy!