My Fit2Fight trial colonies have performed very well so far this season compared to the control hives. The early spring build up gave a good harvest of spring blossom honey and the summer crop will soon be ready to harvest. New queens have been produced and mated ready for requeening other colonies now, or will overwinter in nucs for introduction next spring.

Once the honey has been extracted they will be treated for varroa using Formic Pro and fed a booster of pollen and sugar syrup to stimulate the queens to lay lots of winter bees. Any colonies that look weak will be merged with stronger ones. Each colony will have at least 20kg of stores going into winter and I have frames of capped stores in reserve ready to distribute among them if required.

We can expect robbing to start any time soon once the summer flow ends so entrances will be reduced to help them defend their precious winter stores against other bees and wasps.