bee-keeperBeekeeping doesn't follow the calendar on the wall but the rhythm of nature — flowering, temperature and the colony's development. Dates shift with altitude, region and the weather from year to year, so take this plan as a framework you adapt to your own apiary. The goal is always to be one step ahead of the bees, not running after them.
Spring (Mar–May): awakening and build-up
The most dynamic part of the year. Tasks:
- The first spring inspection once it warms up — check the queen, brood and food stores; clean the floor boards
- Stimulative 1:1 feeding if needed, so the queen starts brood sooner
- Monitoring development and preventing swarming — adding space and supers in time
- Putting on honey supers before the main flow (most often acacia here)
Summer (Jun–Aug): flow, harvest and varroa
The peak of the season and its most important work:
- The main flow and harvesting (acacia, meadow, linden, sunflower)
- Making sure the colony doesn't run out of space and doesn't swarm
- Right after harvest — a summer varroa treatment; this is the most important treatment of the year because it protects the winter bees
- Uniting or boosting weak colonies
Autumn (Sep–Nov): winter preparation
You prepare the colony for winter — whether you'll see it again in spring depends on this:
- Topping up winter stores (roughly 16–25 kg per colony, depending on the hive type)
- Uniting weak colonies — a weak colony rarely survives winter
- Narrowing the brood nest and fitting mouse guards
- Checking that the queen is young and of good quality
Winter (Dec–Feb): quiet and gentle watch
The bees are in a cluster keeping warm. The most important rule: don't open the hives without a pressing need.
- During a broodless cold spell (5–12 °C) — an oxalic-acid treatment
- Checking and clearing the entrance after snow and ice
- A quiet check of hive weight (by lifting or weighing) to judge the stores
- Planning the next season and preparing equipment
Let the app remind you
This rhythm is easy to lose in everyday life. In the app the seasonal reminders are already prepared month by month — turn on notifications and you'll get a timely nudge for every key task, so you never miss a deadline.