Guilfordbeekeepers.org

I was just wondering what one should look out for or be doing at this time of year for hives given the current warmer weather the last few days and the recent kill of most nectar and pollen sources due to the heavy frosts we had the last few weeks.

I'm tipping hives from the front and from the back. The warmer the fall and winter, the more bees fly. The more they fly the more they consume food without finding the resources to re-stock. If hives get too light, I will find a way to feed (sugar water if warm enough, frames of honey from the freezer, or sugar on newspaper above the cluster in dire cases). Later in November, December, January, and February, I will be looking for those sunny 50°F plus days to do quick pops of the tops of hives to see where the clusters are and whether the bees need feeding. Any time it is warm enough for the bees to fly, I am looking to see if any of the hives are showing unusual activity or lack of activity that requires further investigation.

Welcome to the forum. Please consider putting your location in your profile since beekeeping can be a very local proposition.

Thanks for the great info.