To Consider the Beekeeping Year

Here is my full apiary of twelve hives. All the stands are now occupied with hives that are ready for winter. They have all been well fed with sugar syrup and I hope will last through the winter months.

Mind you it was a very different kettle of fish in May of this year when I discovered that five of my hives had not survived the winter due to the prolonged cold snap with its biting east winds.

At the entrance to each hive you can just see a small piece of metal perforated with round holes. This is a mouse guard and does what it says. It is just the time of year when mice are looking for a nice warm billet. It prevents them getting in but at the same time allows the bees to get in and out.

It is the last job of the beekeeping year to put in mouse guards.