Preparing Your Hives for Fall: What to Expect From Us This Season
While this summer in Charlotte, NC feels like it might last forever, we've got cooler weather on the forecast next week which means fall is officially here!
For beekeepers, fall marks an important transition. The days of frequent inspections, adding honey supers, managing swarms, and watching colonies grow rapidly are coming to an end. Instead, our focus turns toward one primary goal: making sure each colony is as healthy and well-prepared as possible heading into winter.
If you host hives in Charlotte, NC with Queen’s Orders Honey, you may notice that you see us a little less often over the coming months. That’s intentional!
Why We Visit Less Often in Fall and Winter
During spring and summer, a lot can change inside a hive in a very short amount of time. Colonies are rapidly expanding, queens are laying heavily, nectar is coming in, and bees may be preparing to swarm. Regular inspections allow us to stay ahead of all of that.
As temperatures cool, the pace of life inside the hive begins to slow. Queens gradually reduce their egg laying, colony populations decrease, and there is less reason for us to regularly take the hive apart.
In fact, as the weather gets colder, opening a hive unnecessarily can do more harm than good. Every inspection disrupts the colony and releases some of the heat the bees are working to maintain. Our visits therefore become less frequent, more weather dependent, and increasingly focused on specific needs.
Fewer inspections don't mean less care. They're part of good winter beekeeping!
What Are We Looking for During Fall Visits?
Our priorities change quite a bit this time of year. Instead of asking, "How much honey are they making?" we're asking, "Does this colony have everything it needs to make it through winter?"
One of our biggest concerns is Varroa mites. These parasites can weaken individual bees and spread viruses throughout a colony. Keeping mite populations under control going into winter is particularly important because healthy, long-lived bees are essential to carrying the colony through the colder months.
Fortunately we've taken care of our major mite concerns. We will however be treating later in winter when the brood in the hive diminishes.
We're also paying close attention to food stores. The bees will need enough honey to sustain themselves during periods when little or no nectar is available. We'll assess the weight and stores of each colony and provide supplemental feeding when necessary.
We'll also be evaluating colony strength and queen status. We want to see colonies with healthy populations and signs that their queens are functioning normally. If a colony appears unusually weak, we'll determine whether intervention is necessary before colder weather arrives.
Finally, we'll make sure the physical hive itself is ready for the season—checking equipment, reducing unnecessary space where appropriate, and making other preparations to help the colony through winter.
What Happens Once Winter Arrives?
As temperatures continue to drop in our apiary in and around Charlotte, NC, inspections also become even less invasive.
Honey bees don't hibernate. Instead, they form a cluster inside the hive and generate heat by vibrating their flight muscles. On warmer winter days, you may still see bees flying from the entrance, sometimes in surprisingly large numbers.
During this period, we can learn quite a bit without completely opening the colony. Hive weight, entrance activity, weather conditions, and other observations can tell us whether a colony needs attention.
When conditions allow, we'll perform brief inspections or provide supplemental food if needed. But there may also be stretches during winter when the best thing we can do for a healthy colony is simply leave it alone.
It's hard to say exactly what this winter will throw beekeepers in Charlotte, NC though you can almost guarantee a few days of warmer temperatures that will allow for deeper inspections.
Things You May Notice Around Your Hives
If you host bees, don't be surprised if your colonies start looking a little different over the next several weeks.
You may notice fewer bees flying on cooler days, less activity early in the morning, fewer drones around the entrance, and an overall decrease in the hustle and bustle you saw during spring and summer. Those are all normal parts of the seasonal cycle.
Then, whenever we get one of those beautiful warm winter afternoons North Carolina likes to give us, you may suddenly see the entrance come alive again.
The bees know the seasons are changing long before we pull out our jackets. Our job now is to help them finish their preparations. Sometimes that means knowing when to inspect and when to simply let the bees be bees.
Here’s to healthy hives and a smooth transition into fall!
— Queen’s Orders Honey
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