Final Check of the Year...Or Is It...?

[Steel Tiger]

 Today it got to 95 degrees after staying in the 70s for the most part of the last couple week. Temps suppose to drop back down tomorrow. I figured today would be perfect to check on the hives to see how ready for winter they are. I haven't touched them for a little over a month so I was a little anxious to see how they were doing.
 Both hives have one deep and two mediums. The mediums on both hives are fairly packed with capped honey. several of the frames are 1/2 drawn and the most of the drawn frames aren't attached to the bottom or sides of the frames. I considered grabbing one of the 1/2 frames and bailing with it but didn't bring a frame with me to replace it.
 The brood box is being filled with nectar.  There was a couple spots of capped brood but the rest of the cells are being filled with nectar.

 I don't know if it's too early for the queens to stop laying. I'm thinking of adding another medium to see if they start filling it as well. The goldenrod is almost gone but there are tons of wild flowers in the fields that they're working over. After tomorrow, the forecast doesn't call for any days above 73 in the near future. It may be best to leave them alone till spring.

[Oblio13]

I'm a little north of you. My bees are busy with Asters and Japanese Knotweed. I think there'll be a decent flow up until the first frost, so I've given mine room to store it. After that we usually have two or three weeks of Indian summer, which may be a good time to feed syrup if necessary. I think the queens are still laying.

[Steel Tiger]

 That's good to know. I'll add a medium on each to give them room, then pull them after the first couple frost and save any honey to feed back next spring if needed.

[Jim134]

Japanese Knotweed is gong in  Hinsdale, New Hampshire about 3 or 4 days ago




                       BEE HAPPY Jim 134:)