Bees in September: what work is done in the apiary and features of the content

September is considered an important period of the year in the life of every beekeeper. This month is the last flight of bees. This is observed around the twenties. By this time, it is important for the beekeeper to complete all the necessary activities and let the bees prepare in September for the cold season. During this period, it is worth inspecting the colonies, feeding and finishing the formation of nests.

What to do with bees in September

Autumn bee care is of great importance. With the arrival of September, beekeepers need to carry out a number of activities that will help them adapt to wintering.

Inspection of bee colonies

Autumn work in the apiary should include inspection of bee colonies. This procedure is recommended to be carried out on a warm September evening. In the daytime, it is worth using a special tent for this purpose. Autumn inspection in beekeeping is always held in September and is considered the last before wintering.

This procedure helps to detect all problems in bee colonies and gives a chance to eliminate them. When the hives are already sealed for the winter, nothing can be changed.

When examining, it is required to reduce the number of frames until each of the remaining ones is completely filled. Empty frames must be removed. The data obtained as a result of the inspection must be recorded. They include the following:

information about the uterus;
number of bees and streets;
feed volume;
number of frames.

September feeding and growing bees

In order for bees to be successful in winter, it is important to evaluate their number and the provision of quality food. In early September, sugar should not be used to feed the bees, because they will not have time to process it and seal it in the combs. This can lead to sour feed. The use of such a product will lead to the development of diseases and the death of bees.

Because it is recommended to use ready-made honey, sealed in a frame, as a top dressing. The last time it should be made on September 10-20.

Each hive located in the northern regions needs 20 kilograms of honey or sugar syrup, and the share of the second component should be no more than 30% of the total. In the south, 13-15 kilograms of feeding is enough for bees.

The key task of the beekeeper in the autumn period is to provide strong families in which there are many young individuals. They will easily endure the winter and will develop well in the spring. In order to increase the laying of eggs by the queen in early autumn, the brood must be well fed. In this case, you need to do the following:

insulate the hives in the cold;
free the honeycomb for laying eggs;
provide insects with enough food;
bring the bees to the autumn harvest.

If there is enough bee growth, you need to do the following:

remove insulation;
increase ventilation;
do not give incentive feeding.

It is not recommended to stretch the laying process in time. It should be completed in such a way that the last withdrawal of bees has time to carry out cleansing flights on warm days. This helps cleanse the intestines and reduces the risk of developing pathologies.

Shaping and assembling the nest

To create comfortable conditions for the bees and provide them with food, you can use the following nest formation options:

Double-sided - suitable for hives with strong families on 9-12 lanes. At the same time, in the central part it is required to place frames with honey and bee bread, 2-4 pieces each. They should include 2 kilograms of honey. On both sides it is required to install honey frames.They must contain up to 4 kilograms of honey. In total, there should be 25-30 kilograms of honey in the hive.
Single-sided or corner - used for families with medium strength, who created 7-9 streets before wintering. In this case, on the one hand, it is required to install a full-fledged honey frame. The remaining frames are recommended to be placed in descending order. The latter should have 2-2.5 kilograms of honey. The rest are in stock.
Beard - this method is suitable for weak families. At the same time, it is worth placing full-copper frames in the central part, and then arrange them in descending order. Feed stocks should be 10-15 kilograms. In order for the bees to move correctly for food, they need to install wooden blocks perpendicularly, which will serve as guides.

Recommendations and tips

After assembling, it is recommended to insulate the nest with pillows and put up flying barriers. This should be done to prevent mice or other rodents from getting in.

On this, at the end of September, work on the formation of a hive for the winter is being completed. Until spring, they are not recommended to be examined. It is only permissible to listen to the hives with a rubber tube. It needs to be introduced into the upper notch. It is also allowed to use a special acoustic device - the apiscope. It is important that the rumble is calm and even. If the bees are disturbed by something, the sounds are amplified.

With the advent of constant cold weather, the hives need to be moved to the winter hut. This is where beekeepers need to go to check the temperature and humidity. To do this, it is worth placing thermometers and psychrometers in different places.

Bee care in September has many features. In order for insects to endure the winter well, it is important to carefully examine the families and provide them with comfortable conditions. Of great importance is the provision of individuals with food.