🐝 Bee Alert - September 🐝

Rather later than usual this year, I've only just completed my honey harvest - and what a disappointment it was!

Two extremely dry springs and summers have been a bit of a bust honey-wise. A beekeeper friend on the west coast of England averaged 5.5 supers per hive this summer, while I managed just 0.6 per production colony. For the first time, my western apiaries have actually outperformed those in the eastern Scottish Borders. Even after years of commercial beekeeping, I'm still learning!

You can watch this year's harvest here

September sees beekeeping move into a non-flow period. The bees are still flying, but there's little nectar around. Pollen is still coming in — many of mine are returning covered in the distinctive white pollen of Himalayan balsam — and, if they're lucky, ivy may provide a final boost before winter.

The focus now is bee health, adequate stores and securing hives for the autumn winds. Check for disease and queen problems, treat for varroa if you haven't already, and make sure colonies have enough food. Bees will still take syrup while temperatures remain warm enough, or fondant can be used instead.

Healthy bees, plenty of stores and secure hives — that's early Autumn beekeeping!

Justin Lanyon Olver