Week 20 and the first inspection on the new fall schedule of every 14 to 15 days! The colony continues to look healthy heading into autumn. All 8 brood frames were inspected and the hive is in great shape, with one important and completely normal observation for this time of year.
Capped brood is noticeably less than during the summer peak, some frames that were solid wall-to-wall brood in July and August now have more mixed content. This is completely expected in late September. As the days get shorter and temperatures cool, the queen naturally reduces her laying rate to prepare the colony for winter. The colony is transitioning exactly as it should. Fresh eggs were still found confirming the queen is actively laying, just at a reduced rate.
🍯 The big news — the Flow super is packed with lots and lots of stored honey! After months of patient waiting, wax painting, frame management and the summer nectar flow from Little John Bottlebrush and other local flowers, the frames are full and the harvest date is set. OCTOBER 9TH is the first ever BeeHiveCastle honey harvest! 🎉🐝
✅ Hive looks super healthy at Day 151! Fresh eggs confirm the queen is laying, we found the Queen on the Frame 6, B photo. Notice a brood reduction which is completely normal for fall, and the Flow super is ready to harvest. The plan is crystal clear, harvest on October 9th, then oxalic acid vapor mite treatment right after, then supplemental feeding to build winter stores. The bees have earned their honey!
⚠️ Mite treatment was not done last month as planned — life happens! However the timing actually works out well. Treating right after the honey harvest means we can do the oxalic acid vapor treatment with no honey supers on the hive, which is the ideal way to treat. The bees will get healthy mite-free winter bees as a result. No concern.
📋 October 9th plan, harvest Flow super honey, remove Flow super, install oxalic acid vapor treatment for Varroa mites, begin 1:1 sugar water supplemental feeding to build winter stores. The BeeHiveCastle first-year journey is reaching its most exciting milestone yet!
