It's that time again beeks. Your actions or inaction's over the next 90 days will have a key role in IF you have bees for next year. Starvation continues to be a huge problem. With the every changing climate you must prepare and act for changing weather.
Starting in no certain order:
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An insulated top |
- Change to a heavier sugar syrup now. Time is running out for the extra water to evaporate.
- Make the sugar blocks and any equipment needed to hold them. This is your insurance against an early spring or weird winter starvation event.
- Cleanup the apiary.
- Build the mouse and animal guards.
- If your going to treat chemically, get busy.
- Merge weak hives.
- Insulate the hives. Top, bottom and sides, control wind.
- Have water available during the winter. Many ways available.
- Clean the bottom boards.
- Order catalogs for next year and place your bee orders NOW.
- Switch bottom board to elevated bottoms. This is old school, if you don't know how, leave a comment.
- Start reducing the amount of outside accesses.
- How deep is your snow? Adjust bottom boards accordingly.
- Pull final honey harvest.
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A wind break |
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Tar paper insulation |