This month has been less busy thanks to the change in weather and reduction in the number of queens to be sent out. We have really seen some cooler days this September which to be honest we are pretty pleased about after the scorcher of a summer we’ve had!

In August we said we would be consolidating the colonies this month, making sure that they are all prepared for the winter ahead. We have started this by feeding the bees Api-dry protein patties, made on site here at Rand. These patties will encourage a last spurt of brood laying, which is important going into winter as it is the bees hatching soon that will be carrying the colony over winter. We find these hand-made patties really convenient for feeding the bees as they are thin enough to fit nicely under the crownboard without leaving any gaps around the edge or having to squash it down first.

If you look very closely at these two photos, you will be able to see that the bees are also managing to bring in their own pollen, which is great news for this time of year. Fingers crossed this forage and the extra pollen patties will give them the best chance going into winter.

Next month we will be removing any feeders and starting our winter hefting to make sure all the colonies have enough food. We will also be putting straps onto all the hives to make sure we don’t lose any in windy weather!