Beekeepers Meeting Monday Evening Oct. 20
From:
"CIBA MEMBERS" <donotreply@PROTECTED>
Date:
October 16th 2025
CIBA October 20th Open Meeting
๐ ๐ ๐ Late-Fall Beekeeping ๐ ๐ ๐
Time and Location: 6:30 PM, Nature Center, Holliday Park, 6363 Spring Mill Rd., 46260
(See below regarding Zoom Option)
Our Principle Program:
๐ Favorite Beekeeping Equipment and Tricks ๐
Members are Encouraged to Bring and Demonstrate Some
Some of Their Favorite, Most Useful, Equipment.
Other Meeting Highlights and Information:
- Season-specific considerations (Some commentary below):
- Raffle: Always 3 Winners ๐๐ฝ
- โ10 Questionsโ Beekeeping Quiz ๐
- Refreshments by Kerry Wurst ๐
- AND.. Of course.. Bring Your Questions! ๐๐ค๐
October-November: Seasonal Food for Beekeeperโs Thoughts:
- Keep and Eye on Colony Strength and Honey Reserves:
- Strength is MPORTANT: - A large cluster generates more heat
- Ideally 25,000 Healthy Fat Bees.
- โFat Beesโ have many Fat Bodies with enriched nutrient stores
- Should a weak colony be combined with another colony?
- Honey Reserves - Honey Stores for Winter:
- Colonies require 60+ pounds of honey going into winter.
- Pollen stores are equally important
- Robbing is Still a Concern.
- Reduce entrance sizes to less than 2 square-inches. (Entrance reducer small opening)
- Compact hive volume as much as possible
- Address other hive openings. (Damaged boxes, Excessive top cover access)
- Once robbing begins, it is EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STOP
- Block all entrances until sundown (Do maintain ventilation)
- Seek advise
- Foraging Limitations: Nectar Flow is now VERY VERY low.
- Flowering has declined considerably, AND it has been very dry (Less Nectar)
- Remember: Nectar sources are a fraction spring nectar flow.
- Consider your surroundings (1+ mile-radius).. Open fields are best
- Feeding: It is OK to keep feeding, but it will be decreasingly effective
- As temperatures cool it is more difficult for bees to convert sugar syrup into hone.
- FEED INSIDE:
- Use a 2:1 syrup ratio (Sugar:Water), or stronger.
- EXTREME Caution using raw honey or essential oils
- Keep syrup available constantly (24/7) (Every few days may do more harm than good)
- Open feeding may be an option.. BUT, much less efficient, more expensive
- Combine Weak colonies
- Larger populations and more stores have a much better chance of survival
- Brood Formation Comments:
- Expect to see.. No Brood formation
- Queens can be difficult to spot. - (Donโt panic if you canโt find her)
- Mite Treatments? - (Best if treatments have been given earlier)
- Options? - (One beekeeperโs opinion. - Seek advise from others as well)
- Extended release methods: Apivar or Oxalic Acid (OA) strips
- OA Vapor.. Requires at least 3 treatments at 5-7 day intervals
- Remember. First pull/harvest any honey for consumption
- Too late for Formic Pro.. Temperatures are too low.
- Other things to Think About - Particularly for NEXT YEAR
- ALWAYS: Best defense is a STRONG Colony
- Watch for hive beetles, avoid excessive empty supers.
- Move brood area to bottom box, honey stores ABOVE brood area.
- Prepare your sugar/candy board. (Add it late November)
- Other concerns? - Contact Your Mentor
Meeting Zoom Link ?
We will do our best.. No Promises
Visit our Facebook page for Link
Upcoming Beekeeping Activities - Mark Your Calendars NOW
- CORE Planning Meeting: Open to Everyone
- Monday, October 27th. COhatch in Broad Ripple, 6151 Central Ave.
- November Open Meeting:
- Monday, November 17th - Nature Center
- Winter Cluster Social Event. - MUST Preregister
- Monday, December 8th - Nature Center
- No December open Meeting
- January 20th, a TUESDAY. First Open Meeting of 2026 ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐
- February 17th, a TUESDAY, Open Meeting, Nature Center
- February 28th, Indiana Bee School,
- Conducted by The Beekeepers of Indiana
- a Saturday all day event. MUST Pre
- March 16th, a MONDAY, Open Meeting, Nature Center
- Back to our usual 3rd Monday of Month for the rest of the year
- This mailing list is a public mailing list - anyone may join or leave, at any time.
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