I have had a couple of beekeepers volunteer to come to my house to help me do some yard work/cleaning so I can get my all but one of my colonies into one location. Since I only have four colonies and one observation hive colony, I thought that I could combine all but one colony in one spot. The one that I did not move is at a lady’s back yard garden. I just add supers and take honey from it. I wish all my colonies were as good.

We had to use weedeaters to cut the grass and weeds in both yards. My lawnmower needs a new carburetor and one of the young beekeepers only has a riding lawnmower and no way to to haul it. We had to tear down the canopy that I have had for 5-6 years because the rains came and kinda stretched it out and then the weight poked a hole through it. When it popped, the frame bent out of shape and crumpled to the ground.

We went to the north part of the county and picked up two colonies and 2 deadout hives. Now I have the two colonies in my back yard and a swarm that I got in an 8 frame hive sitting back there with them, however, that one may have dwindled down to nothing. It needed a super 3 weeks ago and I drug my feet and didn’t get one on. Now, I may have just killed it. I will have to take some time later and just go through it and see. Ahh the joys of beekeeping. You can do it at your own speed and time as long as you don’t procrastinate and wait too long! I’ll let you know how everything worked out at a later date.

Here in Northwest Florida panhandle, the Goldenrod is blooming The fall honey flow has begun. Any and all honey from this time on should be left on the bees for their winter food supply. Now is a good time to take inventory and start ordering the replacement equipment and fall queens if you are going to make fall splits. Now is a good time to start repairing stands, building new frames, replacing foundation, getting your wax melted and in bars, blocks, or chunks for the various things you are going to do with it.

Check you subscriptions’ dates so you will not let them lapse. Clean out your smokers and check the bellows for holes and cracks. Replace as needed. Gather up and sharpen all your hive tools. Check you veils to be sure they don’t have any holes in them. Note: You should wash your bee suits on a regular basis to clean the bee venom off. Dry venom can still cause anaphylactic shock if a person is allergic to honeybee stings by just brushing up against a bee suit.

I gotta go now. Remember–Read, Read, Read, and go to bee meetings. You can go to more than just the one you belong to.