Disclaimer:

This blog explains how I keep bees. It works for me, it might not work for you. Use my methods at your own risk. Always wear protective clothing and use a smoker when working bees.

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Saturday, September 6, 2014

Colder weather moving in - will it stay?

There is a big chunk of cold weather moving in late next week. The question is will it stay cold?
What will work, what won't work when it cools off.
Right now today Miteaway qwik strips will work for Varroa control. It is a seven day treatment so treating today will be the best choice. If the temperatures stay in the 60's Miteaway qwik strips and Apiguard will no longer be effective. This is why treating in August is best when using these products that are temperature dependent.
 The two products that work all the time, because they are contact strips, are Hopguard II and Apivar.
Feeding, if hives are light on winter stores feeding should be done immediately.
I will say that ProSweet in my opinion is superior to 2:1 sugar water. The bees pack the ProSweet away in the frames and don't have to do anything else. ProSweet has fructose and sucrose in it, just like honey.
 Feeding 2:1 sugar water the bees have to turn it into honey and dehumidify it. This takes time.
 As it cools of in the fall, bees become reluctant to take down syrup because the syrup is cool and they don't like cold syrup.
Bees on a warm day will empty a feeder pail in three days. So if feeding, stay on it. A beekeeper can fit three feeder pails directly on top of the frames this time of year. Cover the pails with an empty deep and the inner cover and telescoping cover.
 Still no hurry to cover with winter covers. Wait at least until late October.
So lets all hope for a long fall warm up.
The farmers almanac speculates snow showers in the metro area in the third week of October.