July beekeeping is going well. Most hives are productive, have good brood, lots of bee covered frames and the musical hum of productive hives.  As is usually the case, I have a hive and several nucs that went queenless so they are not humming along. Off to the local “queen guy” for a couple of the beautiful insects we beekeepers just go crazy over. Beekeepers could be the only people that obsess over one insect in a wooden box of thirty thousand insects but most beekeepers I know are ever so slightly odd in that way.

I’m starting to think Fall now (it could be that the heat and a bee suit is slowly roasting me). Things like what mite level do the hives have now and how will I handle it are part of the inspection thought process. I ran a 24 hour mite drop and found some with heavy mite loads.

How much honey will they have by the first flower killing frost, will the rain we have been getting continue, are the queens going to stay productive so that young bees are available for over wintering, will my summer nucs be strong enough to get through the winter? I have a good honey crop so far but will there be a bit more to process? So many things to consider.