The eucalyptus, koromiko and fennel are just about the last nectar producers that flower before the winter and are now producing a small flow. Clover although still flowering because of recent rain, has mostly ceased to produce nectar as the ground temperature are too low.

In some areas the honey flow is over and the bees are out looking for anything they can get for nothing to top their hives up before the winter. In the last few days we have received calls about bees coming back to houses where hives have been killed and removed. Robber bees are now taking honey remnants out of these hives. Hopefully they were clean and the bees won't be taking diseased honey or poison back to their hives.

Wasps are now making their presence felt as we are receiving calls for bees in retaining walls.

Consequently now is the time to close down the hive entrances and remove the honey crop, making sure to leave at least a box of honey on for winter stores.

Before removing the honey supers from the hives, you should cover them with a spilt board or a cloth to prevent robbing and inspect the brood to see if its still healthy. Note the condition of the brood patten also. Wall to wall brood in the bottom super means you have a good queen. Spotty means you need a new queen so order one quickly. Remove the surplus honey and extract if while its still warm.

Put the wet supers back on the hives after dark otherwise the whole neighbourhood will know you've got bees. They'll be flying everywhere looking for this rich nectar source you've just put on the hive. Supers can be removed in a week when the bees have cleaned them out and stored them away for the winter with a sprinkle of PDB in them to kill any wax moth.

More at the meeting.