Beekeeping Articles
BEEKEEPER'S CALENDAR - August
AUGUST AND THE BEES:
The bees are behaving much as they did in July, although the nectar dearth is more prominent in August. The bees are making a strong effort to store up for winter, searching for final nectar sources, which are few. Golden Rod and Aster plants may provide some nectar flow.
AUGUST AND THE BEEKEEPER:
This is the start of the beekeeper's year! What you do in August will strongly influence how well your bees do next year, and how well they overwinter. Here's your work list for August:
1) Consider requeening. You don't have to, if your queen has done well. But it is advisable to requeen in August, no later than September. If you can afford to requeen your hive each year, it would be best to do so. A new queen means a much younger queen who has stronger pheromones to curtail swarming, and who will be more apt to lay eggs more efficiently in the spring.
2) Continue to monitor Varroa mite infestation. Promptly take appropriate action to reduce the mite load early in the fall.
3) Take off all your supers. There is no need for them now, and you will want to tighten up the hive by removing excess supers.
Raise problem combs and other full combs of honey to the upper brood chamber. Never raise eggs or young larvae above the excluder as the bees may rear a queen.
If you have multiple hives, you must be careful not to let a strong hive rob a weak hive. Be careful not to open up the hive for extended periods as other hives may attempt to rob the hive while it is opened.