Any Ottawa-area Beekeepers online to offer some advice?

[kemptville]

I'm hoping there might be some local beekeepers (Ottawa area, Western Quebec and Northern New York) that can help me with what to do next. August is rolling over into September soon and I haven't the slightest clue what I should be doing with my bees.

Currently I have 2 douple deep hives - one has a strong population and is producing honey in a medium super and the other's population isn't as strong. The weaker of the two has an empty bottom deep and a full top deep of stores and brood.

When should I start feeding or should I even consider it? And what do I feed them - 1:1 or 2:1 sugar syrup. Are we expecting another flow in Setpember? In terms of IPM, what needs to be checked / treated for? When should I winterize my hives?

Marc

[Parksguyy]

Hey Marc,
Smiths Falls guy here, just messaged you as well.
Between a friend and myself we have 4 new hives this season, my two are doing well and his two are somewhat behind.  I've been reading alot and asking alot of questions as well and will be attending the Lanark Beekeepers annual summer meeting on Sunday with a list of questions to ask experienced beekeepers.  I am also wondering about fall feeding, when that should start ... I do know you should be feeding with a 2:1 sugar syrup.  You should be checking for mites as well, but if your hives are new they would have been treated beforehand.   I am using green drone frames as part of my IPM, we recently removed 4 and found no mites in the cells ... which is great. 

Regarding your weaker hive, I would reverse the brood chambers immediately ... the bees always move upwards.  The empty bottom deep, should be placed over the full top deep now ... thats something you normally would do in the spring because the cluster will move upward during the winter. 

I have also read to start feeding earlier than later, but I also want to ask to some other beekeepers.
I was planning to feed starting mid September, temperature has alot to do with how active the bees will be.       

[kemptville]

Hey Parksguyy

Great seeing a neighbour on here

I'm also using drone frames as part as my IPM but mine are filled with honey It might have to do with their position within the colony in at #3.

I'm going to attend the Lanark gathering as well - looking forward to meeting you and everyone else who will be there. The hosts are pretty awesome people!

I'll look into reversing the bottom deeps with the tops - that sounds pretty logical.

[Parksguyy]

Hey Marc,
I found the same thing with my drone frames, they drew the comb out and then filled it with honey and pollen.  I had mine sitting in position 4, a couple of weeks ago when I checked the hives, suddenly theire was capped brood in them.  So I move them up into the upper brood and placed the others ones in the lower, basically to make it easier to simply pull them the following week at 21days.  We froze them for 48hrs and dropped them back in.  When I inspected those frames I didn't find any mites in the larva, which was surprising, but I'm glad of that.  I don't have screened bottom boards yet, definitely will be getting them though for next season. 

Look forward to seeing/meeting you on Sunday, its going to be a warm day!
I'll blowing off a major dog show (I breed Weimaraners as well) to go to the beekeepers meeting, so I hope to learn lots.   
Kerry