I'm anxious to hear how everyone's harvest went this year. I took less off the hives - left more for the bees this year (an extra deep or super). The honey seemed not quite as light as last years and seemed to have a bit of an "herb" flavor to it - a faint cross between dill and oregano!
The bee-house project is in place in the backyard - waiting to receive it's side panels. Steel and canvas have been ordered. Once all the "BANGING" and configuring are done, I'll move the two backyard hives onto the platform. (I'll put pictures up when it's done)
While moving, I'll take advantage of the hives being open (oh...they're going to be heavy!) - to treat them with a good dusting of powdered sugar - get them to go into GROOMING MODE one good time before winter, clean the sticky boards.....and take a peek at their winter stores and population.
I know they're not going to like being moved (about 10 feet/each)....after a couple of days of hanging out by the old hive - it seems they figure it out - whether or not they go home to the right hive - i don't know.
i noticed the smell of the hives "changing" this past week. It seems the goldenrod & aster nectar is a bit more bitter/sour...
I'm harvesting at the moment and am filtering my honey this evening and putting in jars. It's my first year and I had 8 frames from the bees - 2 hives. There's still a few more frames that I'm waiting for the bees to cap. A lot of the honey in our region of southern Ontario is very light coloured this year.
ReplyDeleteit's been a disappointing first year for me...for some reason, my one remaining hive would not take to my super despite spraying the frames in sugar syrup and removing the queen excluder i lost my second hive and really don't know how to protect the empty boxes for next year's new colony. my persisting hive robbed all the honey, so i hope that they are strong with fortification for for the coming winter. i'll wrap in insulation and place straw bales around 3 sides after treating for varroa and tracheal mites and giving syrup for autumn feeds (how long should i feed?); originally,thought to place the super at the bottom of the hive bodies, but since they have not drawn it out and have shown no interest, i'm perplexed what to do with the super ... any more suggestions would be appreciated vee the bee friend
ReplyDeletere: protecting empty boxes: simply seal off the boxes from intruders - both bees, moths, animals (tape holes, set boxes on a flat base (i use a piece of OSB/plywood) vs your bottom board, top cover (or another OSB/plywood)and place a rock/block on top). you can leave your STACK outside (to freeze) if you have no place for them inside. if wax moths is a concern - you can place some moth crystals inside on paper plates between boxes....in a freeze zone - winter will take care of any "moth stuff".
ReplyDeleteif you just have this one super....put in a garbage bag & stick it in the garage?...
re: feeding. feed them AS LONG AS THEY WILL TAKE IT....or until your bucket freezes...Make sure you're feeding the "thicker" WINTER version of syrup...not the thinner spring recipe....it's less work for them to evaporate and store the thicker version this time of year.