Winter is around the bend and making sure your hive is ready for hibernation is your number one goal. Your hive should have 35-60 pounds of honey in it. I always lift mine to make sure. The population of the hive is beginning to decrease; older bees that die off are not replaced in the same numbers by the new brood. Drones are being removed in numbers from the hives by the workers to conserve winter stores. Nectar and pollen sources are becoming more scarce as the cooler weather moves in and plants begin to die off or go dormant. The worker bees will begin to bring in large amounts of propolis to seal the hive and prepare for winter.
