By October, colonies are shifting into winter mode. Queens are laying less, drones are being pushed out, and your bees are clustering tighter as nights grow colder. This is your last chance to make sure they have everything they need to survive until spring.

1. Check Food Stores One Last Time

Colonies must have enough reserves to sustain themselves through months without forage.

What to do:

  • Lift hives from the back or inspect frames — each should weigh at least 60–90 lbs going into winter.

  • Feed heavy syrup (2:1) if temps are still above 50°F; switch to fondant, candy boards, or dry sugar once it gets colder.

  • Avoid spilling syrup — it can trigger robbing.

Why it matters: Starvation is the #1 cause of winter losses. October is your last chance to ensure bees are well-provisioned.

2. Finish Varroa Management

Mite loads now determine whether your winter bees will be healthy enough to make it through.

What to do:

  • Conduct a final sugar roll or alcohol wash.

  • Apply treatments suited for cool weather (oxalic acid dribble/vaporization is common once brood is reduced).

  • Avoid disrupting clusters too often — choose fast, effective methods.

Why it matters: Winter bees live longer than summer bees, but only if they are raised parasite-free.

3. Reduce Entrances and Install Mouse Guards

As resources dwindle, hives face pressure from both robbers and rodents.

What to do:

  • Add entrance reducers to minimize drafts and defend against wasps or late-season robbing.

  • Install mouse guards to keep rodents from nesting in warm hives.

Why it matters: Small pests can wreak havoc on clustered colonies when bees are too cold to fight back.

4. Prepare for Moisture Control and Ventilation

Cold doesn’t kill bees — moisture does. Condensation dripping onto clusters can chill colonies fatally.

What to do:

  • Add a moisture board, quilt box, or upper entrance to allow humid air to escape.

  • Tilt hives slightly forward so condensation runs out, not down.

  • Avoid sealing hives too tightly; airflow is essential.

Why it matters: A damp hive in January is far deadlier than a cold one.

5. Consolidate and Equalize Colonies

Not every colony will make it through winter on its own.

What to do:

  • Combine weak hives with stronger neighbors using the newspaper method.

  • Balance food frames among colonies so none are left short.

  • Remove empty boxes — bees overwinter better in compact spaces.

Why it matters: A strong, single colony is better than two weak ones that would fail separately.

6. Wrap Up Equipment Prep

You won’t want to be scrambling with frozen hands in December.

What to do:

  • Repair lids, boxes, and bottom boards now.

  • Wrap hives or add insulation if you’re in a cold climate.

  • Prepare emergency feeding supplies (fondant, sugar bricks, pollen patties) for midwinter checks.

Why it matters: Smooth equipment now prevents stress — for both bees and beekeepers — later.

October Wrap-Up: Protect and Provide

October is about finishing strong. Full food stores, low mite loads, tight entrances, and moisture control are the pillars of winter survival. From now until spring, your bees will depend entirely on the decisions you make this month.

Protect them well, and they’ll reward you with a thriving colony when the flowers return.