October is a crucial month for beekeepers in the Pacific Northwest. Here’s some suggestions for what you should be doing right now to help your colonies get through winter strong:
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🐝 1. Assess Colony Strength
Goal: Each hive should have a large cluster of healthy bees and a laying queen.
Check: There should be enough bees to cover at least 10-12 frames in a double deep (or 6-7 frames in a single deep).
If weak: Combine weak colonies with stronger ones.
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🍯 2. Ensure Adequate Stores
Weight goal: Each colony should have 60–90 lbs of honey (a full deep + a partial). You can weigh each side of a hive using a luggage scale, add the 2 numbers together to get the total weight. I shoot for 120 pounds.
Supplement if light: We’re just about out of time to use 2:1 syrup. Daytime temps should average above 55°F.
It’s time for something more solid. If your weights are good, nothing is needed more than maybe a pollen patty or two.
If making candy boards, using loose sugar poured on inner covers, or camp-style sugar (loose sugar poured on newspaper layed atop of the frames), fine granulated pure white sugar is the best choice, but more expensive. DO NOT use raw, brown, or powdered sugar. They all contain impurities that harm the bees.
Commercial products such as HiveAlive fondant or similar provide nutrients through winter.
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🪰 3. Finish Mite Treatments
Timing: Complete your final treatments before temperatures drop too low.
Goal: Mite levels should be below 1–2 mites per 100 bees going into winter, although I get mine below that. I’m comfortable with no drop after an OAV treatment. 😉
Oxalic acid vapor is ideal once brood rearing slows or stops (often late Oct–Nov).
I perform my last OAV treatments on a warmish day (when the bees aren’t clustered) in late December.
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🏠 4. Prepare for Moisture and Cold
Ventilation: Some think upper ventilation is important in our damp climate, but I’m a proponent of the condensing hive principle – a tightly sealed hive with lower entrance, where the colony can control its own environment. All of my wooden hives have higher R-value insulation on top than the sides. Choose your method.
Moisture control: Place a quilt box, moisture board, or wood shavings above the inner cover.
Insulation: Wrap or insulate hives if you’re in a particularly cold or windy area. Wind barriers are also important in those areas exposed to our cold Northeasters.
Tilt the hive slightly forward so condensation drains out.
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🌸 5. Reduce and Protect
Entrance reducers in place to keep out mice and robbers.
Mouse guards are a must this month.
Remove queen excluders if you haven’t already — you don’t want the queen trapped below honey stores. The bees will move up without her and she will freeze.
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🌡️ 6. Plan for Late Fall & Winter
Stop opening the hive too often once the weather cools.
Check periodically by hefting the hive or using a thermal camera if you have one.
Feed dry sugar or fondant as needed in December–March.