By now things should be quietening down in the hive. Any re-queening should have been completed and you should be looking towards preparing your bees for the winter. You should have taken off all the honey you intend to and be dealing with cappings ready to turn them into wax to sell or to exchange for foundation next year. It is not necessary to remove every last drop of honey from the bees since what is left on the hive could be an early Christmas present for them. A good colony will need at least forty pounds (a full super) to see them through the winter to next March. If you intend feeding sugar syrup please remember to use only white sugar and get the proportions of sugar to water correct  i.e. 1kg. sugar to 1pint of water. They may well need a gallon per colony.

Once you have taken off the honey you should think about treating your bees against varroa. There are numerous products on the market but do remember that Apistan and Bayvarol strips no longer appear to be effective.

As always at this time of year beware of strong colonies robbing weaker ones since disease can be spread in this way. If a colony looks as if it’s being robbed then close the entrance down to just a few bee spaces. If that doesn’t work think seriously about uniting it with a stronger colony since a weak colony may well not survive the winter.

Be aware of wasps which become a real pest and will rob out and destroy a colony if given half a chance. Again, close down the entrance to just a few bee spaces. If you know the site of a wasps’ nest whose occupants are robbing then it’s not a bad idea to destroy it before they get a taste for your honey and for your bees.

Wasps and wax moth can destroy a colony in a week.

August is a month to be on your toes!