While it might be difficult to tell because of the long period of dry weather in August and the first half of September, there has been a (smaller than usual) fall bloom of flowers that our bees take advantage of to put away the last of their winter stores. In the Fairfax County area were our bees reside, the fall provides more pollen than nectar. Goldenrod Fall Asters, Tickseed, Wing Stem, and Black Eyed Susan are seen around our bees foraging area.
On the management side, we have been testing and treating for Varroa Mites, To supplement the fall bloom and to help our bees build up stores for winter, we have been feeding sugar water. In the next couple of weeks, we will reconfigure our hives for winter, moving the remaining brood to the lower brood boxes, and combining hives that are too week to make it through the winter with other weaker ones to create strong hives able to survive the winter.