Mite checks use the current HBHC thresholdsMite thresholds follow the Honey Bee Health Coalition's Tools for Varroa Management, 9th edition (June 2026): treat promptly at 1% or more (Dormant, Population Increase) or 2% or more (Peak Population, Population Decrease) mites per 100 adult bees in a ~300-bee (1/2 cup) sample. Several of the source calendars predate it and still cite 2-3%. Check your count with the mite threshold calculator.
This month
November
Cold winters, one main summer flowTuck colonies in and stop opening hives
Finish winter prep and avoid opening hives once bees cluster below about 50°F. How-to
Set up a windbreak and make sure hives sit up off the ground. Gear
Render cappings and old comb into clean wax. How-to
Review your records and note which colonies to split, requeen or replace next year. Open tool
Short winters, big April-May flow, July dearthTuck colonies in with 60 lb or more of honey
Make sure each hive has 60 lb or more of honey; add fondant or a candy board as insurance. Gear
Control moisture with a quilt box, candy board or upper vent. Gear
Weight lids against wind and keep inspections to a minimum. How-to
Combine weak or queenless hives on a warm day. How-to
Early spring flow, long hot dearth, fall goldenrodBrood shrinks; robbing risk returns
Expect fewer bees as summer bees die off; losing many workers by mid-December is normal.
Keep entrances reduced; robbing is common during the fall and winter dearth. How-to
Put the heaviest frames of capped honey directly above the cluster. Gear
General guidance adapted from extension calendars. Timing varies with local forage, elevation and each year's weather; follow your local association and state apiarist. Full calendar and sources.
Deep South & Gulf Coast · Early spring flow, long hot dearth, fall goldenrod · States: SC, GA, AL, MS, LA, TX Texas is placed here because most Texas hives are in the humid eastern half; beekeepers in far West Texas should also read the Southwest calendar.
01January
Order nucs early; check food monthly
Order nucs and queens in the first two weeks of January; local producers fill their lists early. How-to
On warm days, check food monthly and move capped honey frames next to the cluster. How-to
If stores are short, feed syrup during warm spells, or dry sugar or fondant in cold snaps. Gear
Combine colonies covering fewer than 4 deep frames with stronger ones on a warm day. How-to
02February
Test for mites before the spring flow
Wash ~300 bees; treat if over 1% so the treatment ends well before supers go on. Open tool
Check for eggs; a colony with no eggs in February likely needs a new queen or should be combined. How-to
Repair woodenware and get supers ready before the flow begins. Gear
Consider drone-comb trapping from February to May to reduce mite numbers without chemicals. How-to
03March
Flow starts: super up and prevent swarms
The main flow starts in late March in northern areas; add supers before the bees need them. Gear
Give the queen empty comb in the brood nest and split crowded colonies to prevent swarming. How-to
Do full brood inspections on warm, calm days and look for signs of disease. How-to
Buy replacement queens now; most are produced from March to early July.
04April
Rapid growth; install nucs and packages
Install nucs and packages and feed syrup until they stop taking it. How-to
Check strong colonies every 7-10 days for queen cells and a honey-bound brood nest. How-to
Florida & Subtropical · No real winter, citrus spring flow, fall pepper flow · States: FL, HI Hawaii is grouped here because, like south Florida, colonies rear brood most of the year and small hive beetles and summer dearths drive management; Hawaii's flows differ by island and elevation, so check with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture apiary program.
01January
Feed light colonies and fix equipment
Heft hives and feed syrup to light colonies; colonies here can starve even in a mild winter. Gear
In central and south Florida, give a pollen supplement if natural pollen is scarce.
Keep colonies well fed; good nutrition helps keep Nosema levels down. How-to
Repair and paint woodenware before the spring build-up. Gear
Southwest & California · Mild winters, early spring flow, brutal summer heat · States: AZ, NM, NV, CA California is grouped here for its mild winters, early spring build-up and long dry summer dearth; the cool, foggy coast and the northern mountains run later and can borrow from the Pacific Northwest calendar.
01January
Short winter: check weight and plan the year
Heft hives and compare with their fall weight; add dry sugar or candy at the inner cover if light. Gear
Order nucs, packages and mated queens; with Africanized bees around, a mated-queen source is essential. How-to
Repair and paint equipment and get supers ready; flows can start in February. Gear
Plan where your hives will forage this year, including any crop or orchard moves. How-to
02February
Spring starts early in the low desert
Once the queen is laying again, feed 1:1 syrup and pollen, and keep feeding until forage is steady. Gear
Have supers on hand; early nectar flows can begin in February and March. Gear
Wash ~300 bees before the flow; treat if above the HBHC threshold so it ends before supers go on. Open tool
Swap out a few old, dark combs while the bees are building new comb. Gear
03March
Swarm watch and first full inspections
Do full inspections once air temperatures reach about 75°F. How-to
Watch for eggs or larvae in queen cells; split promptly so you keep your work force. How-to
Give splits a mated queen of gentle stock rather than letting them open-mate near Africanized drones. Gear
Check mites every 2 weeks during the spring build-up. How-to
04April
Main spring flow: super up
The low-desert spring flow usually starts in April; add supers once the two brood boxes are full. Gear
At higher elevations, remove winter wraps and entrance reducers. How-to
Keep up swarm control and catch any swarms you can. How-to
If mites are over threshold, treat with an EPA-registered product, used per its label, choosing one allowed with supers on. Gear
05May
Harvest before the heat
Pull and extract capped honey as the bloom ends, ideally before extreme heat arrives. How-to
Check honey moisture with a refractometer before bottling. How-to
Set up a reliable water source within 1/2 mile, ideally right in the apiary.
Plan afternoon shade before summer; it can cool a hive by 10-15°F.
06June
Heat and dearth: shade, water, ventilation
Give hives afternoon shade and upper ventilation as temperatures climb past 100°F. Gear
Keep water available every day; bees use it to cool the brood nest.
Reduce entrances on weak colonies and keep inspections short to prevent robbing. How-to
Feed syrup in in-hive feeders if forage dries up. Gear
Keep up mite checks and compare counts with the HBHC threshold. Open tool
07July
Monsoon prep and robbing control
Strap hive boxes together and keep hives off low ground before monsoon winds and floods.
Keep hives equally strong; weak colonies can be robbed out in days during a dearth. How-to
Take supers off when the bloom is done, and feed if there's no forage. Gear
Wash ~300 bees; if over threshold, treat with an EPA-registered product, used per its label, after supers come off. How-to
08August
Get mites down before fall
Treat now if mites are high; in Tucson research, over 5 mites/100 bees in September cut survival below 50%. Gear
Keep up water, shade and ventilation through the late-summer heat.
Keep entrances reduced and patch gaps in boxes to stop robbers. How-to
Feed light colonies in in-hive feeders, never in open troughs. Gear
09September
Treat, re-test, requeen
Re-test after treating; aim for under 1 mite per 100 bees going into winter. Open tool
Once mites are down, requeen with a mated queen so the colony is ready for the February flow.
Remove supers and excluders and let bees fill both brood boxes with honey and pollen. Gear
Feed 2:1 syrup and pollen supplement if forage is scarce. Gear
10October
Raise healthy winter bees
October brood becomes your winter bees; make sure nectar and pollen are available, or feed. Gear
Heft each hive while it's full so you can judge how much weight it loses over winter. Gear
Reduce entrances and add mouse guards where rodents are a problem. Gear
Arrange frames so honey sits above and beside the brood nest. How-to
11November
Winterize at higher elevations
At higher elevations, wrap or insulate hives and keep an upper vent for moisture. Gear
Strap boxes together where winter winds are strong. How-to
Expect drones to be expelled and the colony to settle at roughly 15,000-20,000 bees.
Pacific Northwest & Mountain West · Wet or snowy winters, June flow, short season · States: WA, OR, ID, MT, WY, CO, UT, AK Alaska is grouped here as a cold, short-season western state; expect every spring and summer task to run several weeks later than shown, and expect the summer flow to be short.
01January
Leave bees clustered; order bees now
Order packages, nucs and queens now; they sell out by spring. How-to
Clear snow and dead bees from entrances after storms. How-to
If a hive feels light, add fondant on a calm day above about 55°F and keep feeding until spring. Gear
Check and repair equipment long before you need it. Gear
02February
Late winter: the most delicate time
Brood rearing is restarting; heft hives every couple of weeks and add sugar bricks over the cluster if light. Gear
Hold off on pollen patties until winter is truly over and forage will follow.
Only open a hive on a day warm enough to work without a jacket, and don't chill the brood. How-to
Confirm package and nuc delivery dates and set up stands for new hives. Open tool
03March
Starvation month: weigh and feed
Weigh or heft hives; from mid-March feed 1:1 syrup and a pollen patty to carry them to spring bloom. Gear
On a day above about 55°F, do a quick count of frames covered with bees. How-to
Remove winter wraps once temperatures stay above freezing, and open up the entrance reducer. Gear
Set up a water source that will last all season.
04April
First full inspection; packages arrive
On a day above about 55°F, do a full inspection: eggs, brood pattern, queen and stores. How-to
Install packages and nucs and feed them 1:1 syrup. How-to
Split strong overwintered colonies to head off swarming later. How-to
If brood looks like foulbrood, contact your state apiarist or county bee inspector before acting. How-to
Register your hives if your state requires it.
05May
Swarm season begins
Add boxes or split colonies, and watch for queen cells along the bottom bars. How-to
