This month it has been getting pretty cold here in Lincolnshire and the bees are all clustered up. As a precaution, I have fed fondant to some colonies that, after hefting, felt a little light. Depending on how light the colony was, either Apicandy or Ambrosia was chosen, as they come in different sized packs. By assessing the needs of each colony before feeding, less fondant is wasted. We may need to re-feed some colonies again later in the winter but by hefting every couple of weeks or so, we can keep an eye on colonies that are consuming a lot of their stores. If you look closely at the photograph, you will be able to see a small gap in the fondant where the bees have been taking it down.

In addition to fondant, I have inserted Sustainable Hive Insulation (SHINS) into some smaller colonies that may just need a little extra insulation over the winter. These worked well last year as all three colonies I put the SHINS on came through the winter nice and strong so I am happy to use these again this year. They consist of two cork stick on slabs that fit into the outside rebates of a national hive, held in place by a large rubber band and then two dummy board type frames which go inside the hive either side of the nest.

As things are starting to quieten down outdoors, I have been using this time to plan for the year ahead by doing lots of reading and stockpiling any equipment that will be needed. This is only possible if you know what you actually intend to do the following year and working that out in advance is part of the challenge! At this time of year, I get excited to put my bee suit back on and start beekeeping again. However, it is important to remember that this is a good time of year to rest and get organised so that when spring comes around, everything is ready and prepared!