Bee Ready: September Beekeeping Update, Preparing for an Unpredictable Autumn

Welcome back to Bee Ready.

What a season it has been so far.

At the beginning of the year, it felt like we were constantly talking about rain. The wet and unsettled weather seemed to go on and on, and many of us were simply waiting for those first proper opportunities to get back into the apiary and see the bees flying regularly again.

Then summer arrived and gave us almost the complete opposite.

We have had some incredibly hot spells this year, with heat warnings and temperatures that left both us and our bees dealing with a very different challenge. Colonies went from waiting for suitable flying weather to coping with prolonged heat, gathering water, fanning at the entrance, and working hard to regulate conditions inside the hive.

Hopefully your colonies have handled everything the season has thrown at them and made the most of those long summer days.

Now September is here, and once again the season is beginning to change.

After the weather we have experienced so far, I do not think any of us can be certain what autumn and winter will bring. We could see a mild and drawn-out autumn, or conditions could change quickly. What we can do is make sure our colonies are as healthy, strong, and prepared as possible for whatever comes next.

The hive begins to slow down

September can still give us some beautiful days around the apiary.

When the sun is shining, there may be plenty of bees coming and going from the entrance, and from the outside it can still look like summer is carrying on as normal.

Look a little closer, though, and things are beginning to change.

The enormous colony populations needed during the height of summer are no longer required, and the queen will generally begin reducing her laying as the season progresses. The colony gradually becomes smaller and starts conserving more of its resources.

For newer beekeepers, seeing a reduction in activity can sometimes be worrying, but at this time of year it is often a perfectly natural part of the colony's cycle.

The bees are not stopping. They are simply changing their priorities.

Preparing for whatever autumn brings

If this year's weather has shown us anything, it is how quickly conditions can change.

That makes September a particularly useful month for preparation.

Rather than trying to predict exactly when colder weather will arrive, it is better to look at the colony in front of you. A strong population, healthy brood, sufficient stores, and a healthy queen all give a hive a much better starting point for autumn.

There is still time to address problems, but that window will gradually become smaller as temperatures fall.

This is why September inspections are less about watching the colony expand and more about understanding what condition it is in.

Think of it as taking stock after a long summer.

Food stores become increasingly important

After spending months watching bees bring nectar into the hive, our attention now begins to shift towards how much they have kept for themselves.

A colony needs sufficient stores to see it through periods when there is little or no forage available.

This becomes particularly important if autumn weather is unpredictable. A prolonged wet spell can prevent bees from flying even when flowers are still available, while unusually mild conditions can sometimes mean colonies remain more active and consume stores differently.

Checking the weight of your hives and assessing the food available to the colony gives you a much clearer idea of whether additional feeding may be needed.

It is much easier to deal with a shortage now than discover one when winter is already upon us.

Healthy winter bees start with a healthy colony

There is something particularly important happening inside the hive around this point in the season.

The colony is beginning to produce the longer-lived bees that will help carry it through winter.

Unlike busy summer workers, which can wear themselves out in a matter of weeks through constant foraging and brood rearing, winter bees need to survive for several months.

Their health matters enormously.

This is one reason why colony health and Varroa management become such an important consideration around late summer and early autumn. High mite levels can damage developing bees and contribute to the spread of viruses, which can leave a colony in a much weaker position heading into winter.

Keeping an eye on Varroa levels and following an appropriate management plan now can help protect the bees the colony will depend upon over the coming months.

There is still forage to be found

September does not mean the end of foraging.

Give the bees a warm, settled day and you may still see plenty of activity around the entrance.

One particularly valuable source later in the season is ivy. Its flowers provide nectar and pollen at a point when many other sources are beginning to disappear, making it an important resource for colonies preparing for winter.

Local conditions will always make a difference, though, and that is part of what makes beekeeping so interesting.

The bees respond to what is available around them rather than what the calendar says should be happening.

Taking a few minutes to watch what is coming through the entrance can therefore tell you a surprising amount about what is still available in your area.

Getting the apiary ready for autumn

While the bees prepare inside the hive, September gives us an opportunity to do a little preparation outside it too.

This is a good time to check that roofs are secure, hive stands remain stable, and equipment is in good condition before the weather deteriorates.

Any equipment that is no longer needed can also be cleaned and stored away.

These are simple jobs but doing them on a pleasant September afternoon is much easier than discovering something needs attention during the first cold, wet spell of autumn.

There is no need to rush winter into arriving. It is simply about being ready before it does.

A September fact from the hive

You may start noticing fewer drones in your colonies as autumn approaches.

During spring and summer, drones play an important role in mating with queens. As the breeding season comes to an end, however, keeping large numbers of drones becomes an unnecessary drain on the colony's food stores.

Workers may begin forcing drones out of the hive as resources become more valuable.

It might seem rather unforgiving to us, but for the colony it is simply another part of preparing for winter.

Looking ahead to October

By October, autumn should be much more noticeable around the apiary.

The days will be shorter, temperatures will begin to fall, and opportunities for opening the hive will become increasingly limited.

Next month in Bee Ready, we will look at those final preparations before winter, including protecting the hive from worsening weather, checking stores, reducing unnecessary disturbance, and understanding what the colony is doing as temperatures fall.

Whatever weather October brings us, the aim will be the same. Give the bees the best possible conditions and let them do what they have been preparing to do all year.

Stay Bee Ready this September

September always feels like an important turning point.

We have watched our colonies come through a wet start to the year, build through spring, and deal with some seriously hot conditions during summer. Now we get to watch them adapt all over again as autumn approaches.

After the year we have had, who knows exactly what the next few months will bring?

What we do know is that preparation makes a difference.

Keep an eye on stores, pay attention to colony health, make sure the hive is secure, and enjoy those last warm afternoons around the apiary whenever they appear.

Until next time, stay Bee Ready with Actiasbee.

As always, we finish with a Bee Ready joke.

What do you get when you cross a doorbell and a bee?

A hum-dinger.