Autumn
After the honey harvest, it’s time to get back into hive inspections and begin the process of “wintering down”. Autumn hive checks are similar to those in Spring – we continue to look for pests and diseases and will treat for Varroa Mites, this is also when we decide if each hive still has enough honey stores to last through winter and ensure that every colony has a strong, healthy queen. Autumn is the final chance to re-queen before the cold sets in.
Preparing the Hive for Winter
As the season changes, the population inside the hive naturally declines. During winter, bees stop raising brood, so the male bees (drones) are no longer needed. To conserve food and energy, they’re removed from the hive by the worker bees. If you notice dead bees near the hive entrance in late Autumn, it’s usually just the drones being evicted and is a normal part of bee colony behaviour. The harsh reality of nature!
Protecting Against Wasps and Rodents
We also fit entrance reducers to help bees defend against wasps and mice. Wasps can be a major threat in Autumn and early Winter. They remain active in cooler temperatures and will try to rob honey from hives. To help control them, we set up wasp traps near each apiary using specially designed lures.
Mice also look for warmth and shelter during cold months, and a beehive is very tempting! However, they can damage frames and chew through beeswax. Reducing the entrance to hives not only blocks mice but also gives the bees a smaller entrance to guard, helping them maintain warmth and security.
Wintering Down
Finally, we reduce hive space by removing any empty brood boxes and ensuring bees have plenty of honey directly surrounding them. Proper wintering down is crucial for a colony’s survival - it keeps bees warm, protected, and ready to build up strength again when Spring arrives.
Autumn is a great time for gardeners and bee lovers to prepare for the next season. Planting late-flowering bee-friendly plants helps support local pollinators before winter. Great resources include Trees for Bees NZ and Apiculture New Zealand’s websites, or check out our top tips for planting blog here.