In October in Pueblo, Colorado, beekeeping focuses on preparing colonies for winter survival, managing pests, and securing adequate food stores before freezing temperatures set in.
Essential October To-Dos
- Check Food Stores: Ensure your double-deep hive has roughly 40 to 60 pounds (about 8–10 full deep frames) of honey stores. If stores are low, feed a thick 2:1 sugar syrup solution, though stop using liquid syrup if daytime temperatures consistently drop to 50°F or lower.
- Manage Varroa Mites: Do a final mite check and treat if counts exceed the 2%–3% threshold. Use cool-weather-safe options like oxalic acid vaporization or appropriate acid strips depending on remaining warm days.
- Install Mouse Guards & Entrance Reducers: Put mouse guards and entrance reducers in place before hard freezes drive mice and late-season robbers (like wasps or robbing bees) looking for warmth and food.
- Reduce Hive Size and Consolidate: Remove empty supers or unused frames that the bees do not need. If you have a weak hive with fewer than 6 frames of bees, consider combining it with a stronger colony using the newspaper method.
- Plan for Moisture and Ventilation: Cold rarely kills bees in Colorado—excess condensation dripping onto the cluster does. Set up proper upper ventilation or a quilt box, and tilt the hive slightly forward so moisture runs out the front.
- Follow Local Regulations: If you keep bees inside Pueblo city limits, remember that local ordinances through the Pueblo County Beekeepers Association limit properties to a maximum of two honeybee hives.