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Last month of 2019
I can't believe it is almost 2020. Saturday the 21"st is the winter solstice and the sun will start coming back! Hopefully we will have a mild winter.
This will be the last news letter I will be writing. Thank you all for listening to my drivel, it has been an honor to serve you all as the news letter editior.
Tales From the Hive
This Thursday will be the new tradition of the December meeting and social. It sounds like Seth will be bringing water and the rest of you can bring chips or cookies. It is the library so we don't want to have a full potluck to cut down on the mess. It should be a hoot.
No one has stepped up for the Presidents position so it looks like we will maintain status quo for the next year.
Things to do this Month
- Winter feeding. Take a look in your hives and see if they have stores. If not, you can make some fondant patties and pollen patties. Seth suggested adding some water to sugar and make a ball of sugar that you can introduce to the cluster, so they don't have to break cluster to forage for it. Brush sugar into empty comb and place near the cluster, same thought, they don't have to break cluster to feed. You can try mountain camp style, placing some newspaper on the top bars and spreading out the sugar. The bottom line is, if they don't have enough food to winter, do something to help them out.
- Mites. Over the next couple of weeks this is the time when your hive should be broodless and the best time of the year to treat for mites. If your bees are in a tight ball vaporizing won't be affective at reaching the center of the cluster. We are still having some warm days where bees are flying. If they are flying, vaporizing oxalic acid will work. If not and the bees are clustered up, you will want to use an oxalic acid dribble.
- Hive ventilation. As the temperature dips, the warm cluster of bees will create moisture, in the form of condensation in the hive. You all know the difference between being cold and being wet and cold. The best thing you can do is make sure your hive has ventilation so that the air will circulate through the hive and the condensation has a place to escape. In the past I have added burlap to the attic it the top of the hive and others add water absorbing material. The problem is that if you don't stay on top of it, these materials soak up the condensation until they can't anymore, and then they release their stored water, dripping water on your colony. According to Seth, the best thing you can do for your hive is to create 3/8'' gap in your lid and give the hive ventilation. Seth said he is going to bring a lid to the meeting that provides ventilation.
- Start inventorying your hives, think about your beekeeping goals for this next year and start preparing what you need for this spring. Think about Nuc's, Queens, gear and supplies. Better to be ready than scrambling at the last minute to make it work.
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