Los Olivos Honey Bees -- Fall Management

Issues

To Do

One final inspection before winter
1. Check overall health of colony
2. Check brood pattern
3. Check for sufficient number of bees and honey|pollen stores
Downsize - Reduce space to heat and defend
1. Remove Flow Hive Honey Super
2. Remove mostly empty boxes - consolidate frames
3. Remove queen excluder
4. Place honey frames or follower boards outside of brood nest
5. Keep brood nest together
6. Reduce entrance
7. Close additional entrances?
8. Combine weak (but healthy) colonies
9. Normalize colonies (a la commercial beekeeper)
10. Ant protection
If Inclined
1. Treat for Varroa Mites
2. Feed sugar syrup 2:1 (sugar:water)
Winter activities
1. Clean unused equipment
  - Remove propolis and burr comb
  - Repair
  - Paint
  - Discard old (5+year) comb
  - Clean tools, suit, etc.
2. Order or build new equipment