Library · Bees & pollinators
Beekeeping Calendar.
Beekeeping Month-by-Month Calendar
What to do, when. Honeybee colony management cycle through the year, by region.
The annual beekeeping cycle
| Phase | Months (typical N. hemisphere) | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Winter dormancy | Dec - Feb | Don't disturb; minimal supplemental feeding; entrance reducer |
| Spring buildup | Mar - Apr | Stimulative feeding; queen lays heavily; first inspection |
| Pre-flow / swarm season | May | Add supers; swarm prevention; varroa monitoring |
| Main nectar flow | Jun - Jul | Honey production; minimal disturbance |
| Late summer transition | Aug | Honey extraction; varroa treatment after harvest |
| Fall prep | Sep - Oct | Winter feeding (2:1 syrup); confirm winter stores; mouse guard |
| Winter approach | Nov | Final inspection; entrance reducer; wind block |
Critical seasonal tasks
| Task | When | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Varroa mite monitoring | Monthly during active season; alcohol/sugar wash | Above 3% (3 mites per 100 bees) = treatment threshold |
| Varroa treatment | August (post-harvest); Oxalic acid in winter (broodless) | Untreated colonies typically die in winter |
| Swarm management | Spring (April-May main; minor August) | Lose half the bees + queen if you miss it |
| Add honey supers | Just before main flow | Late = bees backfill brood box; early = wax-moth in unused supers |
| Harvest honey | End of main flow (varies by region; July-Aug typical) | Leave 60-90 lb for winter |
| Fall feeding | September if winter stores below 60 lb | 2:1 sugar syrup; bees concentrate before cold |
| Pollen patties | Late winter - early spring | Stimulates queen laying before pollen flow |
Inspection checklist
Each spring/summer inspection (~every 7-10 days):
- Queen presence: See queen OR see eggs (1-3 day eggs = queen was there in past 3 days)
- Brood pattern: Tight, complete cell coverage = healthy queen. Spotty pattern = old queen, disease, or low temps.
- Brood stages: Eggs, larvae, capped pupae present in expanding rings (laying queen)
- Disease check: Look for European foulbrood (off-color larvae), American foulbrood (brown ropy), chalkbrood (white mummies), deformed wing virus
- Varroa pressure: Sticky board count or sugar/alcohol wash
- Population: Strong colony = covers ~80%+ of frames in main season
- Stores: Honey + pollen frames; nectar in cells
- Queen cells: Cup-shaped on bottom of frames = swarm prep; on face of comb = supersedure
- Hive condition: Bottom board debris, propolis, wax moth signs in unused space
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