Chari's July Quick Tips: Healthy Hives Start Now: Essential Tasks After Honey Harvest 🍯

Chari’s July Quick Tips

The honey’s off—but your work isn’t done! Late summer and early fall are critical times for setting your bees up for success. Here’s what you should be doing now:

Check for Varroa Mites
Post harvest is prime time for a mite wash. Even if your bees look healthy, mites could be hiding in the brood. Don’t guess—test!

Treat if Needed
If mite counts are high, treat immediately. Choose a product that fits your colony’s population and season. Rotate treatments to avoid resistance.

Feed Syrup if Light
If your hive feels light, it probably is. Trickle feed 1:1 sugar syrup to maintain 30 pounds of stores throughout the summer. 

Feed pollen when it's scarce – It’s essential for continued colony growth. Offer pollen patties (in moderation) inside the hive or provide dry pollen in your bee yard. Even better—feed Stan’s Soft Sugar Bricks all summer and into fall for steady nutrition and strong colony growth. Your bees will thank you! 🐝 

Store Honey Supers Properly
Return extracted honey supers to the hives for cleaning, then either freeze them, spray them with Certan, or store them with Para-Moth. Read more HERE

Assess the Queen
Is she laying well? Is the brood solid and healthy? A failing queen now means a weak hive later. Consider requeening if needed.

Keep Small Hive Beetles Under Control
SHBs take advantage of hives under stress—and scorching temperatures and limited food availability are major stressors. Use beetle traps to help keep them in check.

Taking action now helps ensure your bees are strong, healthy, and ready to overwinter. Don’t wait—your spring colonies will thank you.