What do we do in November?

By this time, you should have completed feeding and treated your hive since mid-October (September and October). If your feeder hasn't already been removed, now is the time to do so. The final interventions at the apiary are generally carried out in November: oxalic acid treatment, insulation, and weighing of the hives.

Oxalic acid: an economical guarantee

When temperatures are between 6 and 8 degrees Celsius, it's time for the final varroa treatment. Oxalic acid is used at this point. This treatment can be administered by fumigation or by trickling using a syringe. Oxalic acid complements the treatment you used in September (formic acid, thymol, Apivar, Apistan, etc.). Unfortunately, it's impossible to eliminate all varroa mites during the egg-laying season. With the autumn temperature drops, the queen's egg-laying decreases, and the varroa mites in the hive are usually only found on the bees, not inside the capped cells.

Oxalic acid is a natural treatment that effectively eliminates varroa mites from the brood nest. By ending the season with oxalic acid, you ensure your hive won't succumb to varroa infestation and increase its chances of surviving the winter without troublesome parasites. And what's more, it's inexpensive!

Explanation of the fumigation method

Explanation of the drip method 

Pampering your bees...not too much, not too little!

November is also the time to think about insulating your beehive. Be careful! A common pitfall for beginner beekeepers is over-insulating the hive. Bees don't die from the cold. They are more affected by humidity, which causes condensation inside the hive. Beekeepers in Finland have taught us that the most important thing isn't insulation, but ensuring proper air circulation within the hive to remove moisture. A roof vent with a ventilation slot is essential during the winter. Be sure to raise your roof using Styrofoam insulation to clear the opening. Air must circulate between the roof vent and the bottom entrance of the hive. Therefore, you must remove your entrance reducer or the sliding/hive entrance. In the spring, the reducer is used to block drafts that could cool the brood. In autumn, the entrance reducer is used to limit robbing and the introduction of rodents into the hive. A smaller entrance makes the job easier for the colony's guard bees.

When the cold weather has truly set in, the mice have already found their winter homes, and the wasps are no longer a threat. Protecting the entrance is no longer necessary. But the most important thing to remember is that during the winter, many worker bees die, and the young bees clean up the mess. When a small entrance to the hive is left, the hole eventually becomes clogged with dead bees, and air can no longer pass through. Condensation forms, and the air becomes toxic due to the high levels of CO2 produced by the cluster.

Stop panicking, and remove the entrance reducer once winter has truly arrived. Now, which insulation should you choose? Simple: consider "Thermofoil" bubble insulation or "BeeCozy," both effective at reducing the chill of strong winter winds. I tend to favor Thermofoil for hives that are well protected, for example, in a backyard, by a cedar hedge. For more northern climates, in the mountains, prone to extreme temperatures, I usually recommend BeeCozy, known for retaining good warmth inside the hive.

Do you have a good memory?

Before wishing your bees a Merry Christmas, try weighing the hive and getting a sense of its overall weight. The most important thing is to maintain a kind of "body memory" of the hive. This will allow you to compare, during a quick and quiet visit in February, whether the hive has used up a lot of resources or not. This will help you judge whether the hive needs a little extra food (Apifonda candy) to prepare for spring or if it is still healthy.

Now is the time to leave the beehive in peace and go enjoy the gently falling snowflakes.