Things to consider in September.

AFB check, destroy any supers that came from infected hives, put an apiary quarantine in place for 18 months where you can’t identify individual supers.

Hives with less than 3 frames of honey should be fed.

Check entrance ways and weed accordingly

Check stored supers for wax moth and cull old frames, get things organised and ready to go for the season.

Check mite levels and treatment options/dates.
Remember to alternate treatment chemical families in order to reduce the chance of resistance.

Check for early swarming if its a warm spring and add supers as necessary

Make splits from strong hives and graft queens as required on warm days

What the bees are doing.

- Queen's egg production will be increasing more.
- The brood nest will be growing faster.
- More flying bees on warmer days.
- First of the honey flows towards the end of September.
- Chance of raising queen cells in preparation for swarming.

Nectar producing flowers.

Willows (all kinds)
Japonica
Banksia
Fruit trees, apples/cherries etc.
Ornamental cherries and crab apples
Lamium
Weeds such as dandelions and deadnettle
Rosemary
Heather
Spring flowering eucalypts
Forsythia
Red Rhododendrons (are poisonous for bees)
Hellebores
Winter/spring red hot pokers
Crocus
Grape hyacinths
Abutilon