Locate the queen or confirm her presence (fresh eggs = queen active within 3 days)

Check brood pattern — solid, capped brood is a sign of a healthy queen

Look for eggs, young larvae, and capped brood in correct proportions

Inspect for queen cells (swarm or supersedure)

Examine larvae for disease signs (discolouration, unusual smell, ropiness)

Check for Varroa mite presence on bees and in cells

Look for pests — wax moth webbing, small hive beetle

Note overall bee temperament and population size

Assess honey stores — at least 2 full frames per box in summer

Check pollen stores — essential for brood rearing

Inspect frames for overcrowding or excessive drone comb

Add supers or remove them as needed based on space

Inspect every 7–10 days during peak season (April–July)

Remove queen cells promptly if not intentionally rearing a queen

Ensure adequate space — add supers before bees fill 80% of existing frames

Consider splitting strong colonies in spring

Monitor for congestion in the brood nest

Requeen older queens (2+ years) in late summer

Beekeeper's Everyday Toolkit

2

Brood Development Cycle

Day-by-day breakdown from egg to emerging adult. Useful for timing inspections and identifying delays in development.

Queen

Total: 16 days

Stage	Days	Notes
Egg	0–3	Laid in queen cup
Larva	4–7	Fed exclusively royal jelly
Pupa	8–15	Capped, rapidly develops
Adult	Day 16	Emerges, mates within days

Worker

Total: 21 days

Stage	Days	Notes
Egg	0–3	Tiny white egg upright in cell
Larva	4–9	Fed royal jelly, then bee bread & honey
Pupa	10–20	Cell capped, metamorphosis
Adult	Day 21	Emerges as fully formed worker

Drone

Total: 24 days

Stage	Days	Notes
Egg	0–3	Larger cells, unfertilised eggs
Larva	4–9	Similar feeding to workers
Pupa	10–23	Capped, develops into drone
Adult	Day 24	Emerges as drone

Tip: Keep these charts handy during inspections. If larvae are absent on day 4 where eggs were present 4 days ago, investigate queen status.

3

Seasonal Hive Management Calendar

🌸Spring

Inspect for winter losses and dead-outs
Feed 1:1 syrup if stores are low
Check for a laying queen
Begin swarm management as population grows
Add supers early if nectar flow is starting

☀️Summer

Monitor brood pattern weekly
Add honey supers to prevent crowding
Inspect for and remove queen cells
Check for Varroa mite levels (sugar roll / alcohol wash)
Ensure adequate ventilation and water source

🍂Fall

Harvest honey — leave at least 60–80 lbs / 27–36 kg for winter
Treat for Varroa before brood ceases
Feed 2:1 heavy syrup to build stores
Reduce hive entrances to deter robbing
Combine weak colonies if needed

❄️Winter

Minimal disturbance — avoid opening hives below 50 °F / 10 °C
Check ventilation to prevent moisture buildup
Monitor stores via heft test or window
Emergency feed fondant/candy board if needed
Plan next season equipment and splits

1

Sugar Syrup Feeding Guide

Spring / Early SeasonLight

1 : 1

Stimulates brood production. Use warm water to dissolve sugar fully.

Summer / MaintenanceLight

1 : 1

Optional during a strong nectar flow. Avoid if bees are foraging well.

Fall / Winter PrepHeavy

2 : 1

Builds winter stores. Feed before temperatures drop below 50 °F / 10 °C.

Tip: Always dissolve sugar completely before filling feeders. Never feed syrup when natural nectar is abundant — it can mask nectar flow data.

5

Hive Inspection Checklist

Work through this checklist on every visit. Tap items to mark them complete.

Inspection Items

0 / 12 checked

Queen & Brood

Colony Health

Stores & Space

Field tip: Always record your inspection notes immediately after closing the hive — memory fades fast. Use the APiLOG voice note feature for hands-free logging.

4

Swarm Prevention Checklist

Swarming is natural but manageable. Use this interactive checklist during the season.

Swarm Prevention Actions0 / 6 done

Remember: A swarm means you lose up to half your foragers. Prevention is far easier than chasing a swarm after the fact.

6

Common Pests & Disease Quick Reference

Pest / Disease	Risk	Identification	Treatment / Action
Varroa Mite	High	Tiny reddish-brown mites visible on adult bees and pupae. Deformed wing virus is a sign.	Oxalic acid (broodless period), Apivar strips, HopGuard, or biotechnical methods (drone comb removal).
Wax Moth	Medium	White webbing and tunnels through comb. Larvae visible, frass in tunnels.	Remove and freeze infested comb. Maintain strong colonies — bees police weak infestations.
American Foulbrood	Critical	Sunken, perforated cappings. Brown, ropy larva. Distinct sour smell. Matchstick test: sticky string.	Notifiable disease in many regions. Mandatory burn of infected equipment. No chemical cure.
European Foulbrood	Medium	Twisted, discoloured larvae in uncapped cells. Sour odour. No ropiness on matchstick test.	Requeen with hygienic stock. Improve nutrition. Oxytetracycline in some regions (check local regulations).
Nosema	Low–Medium	Dysentery streaks on hive exterior. Weak spring colony. Confirmed by microscope.	Hygienic management, fresh comb rotation. Fumagilin-B where available. Good nutrition.
Small Hive Beetle	Medium	Small dark beetles (5–7 mm) scurrying from light. Slimy, fermented honey. Larvae in comb.	Beetle traps with oil. Reduce hive space. Maintain strong colony. Soil treatments near hive.

Important: American Foulbrood is a notifiable disease in many countries. If suspected, contact your local apiary inspector immediately.

7

Varroa Mite Counting & Tolerances

Treatment Thresholds

Spring / Early Summer≤ 1%

Monitor closely. Consider biotechnical controls (drone comb removal).

Summer (Brood Present)2–3%

Action threshold — treat promptly. Infestation can double in 3–4 weeks.

Late Summer / Pre-Winter Bees≥ 2%

Treat immediately to protect overwintering bees. Winter bees are long-lived and critical.

Broodless / Winter≥ 1%

Oxalic acid treatments are highly effective broodless. Treat at first opportunity.

% infestation = (mites counted ÷ bees counted) × 100. Thresholds are general guidelines — always check your regional beekeeping association for local recommendations.

Counting Methods

Alcohol WashAccuracy: HighEasy

Collect ~300 bees (approx. ½ cup) from the brood nest into a jar — avoid the queen.
Add isopropyl alcohol (70%) or methylated spirit until bees are submerged.
Seal and shake vigorously for 60 seconds.
Pour through a mesh screen into a white tray.
Count mites visible in the liquid.
Divide mite count by number of bees × 100 to get % infestation.

Bees do not survive. Most accurate method — gold standard for monitoring.

Sugar Roll (Powdered Sugar Shake)Accuracy: ModerateEasy

Collect ~300 bees into a jar with a mesh lid.
Add 2 tablespoons of icing/powdered sugar.
Shake and roll the jar for 60 seconds to coat all bees.
Let sit for 1–2 minutes.
Shake mites out through the mesh onto a white sheet or tray.
Count fallen mites. Divide by bee count × 100 for infestation %.

Bees survive and can be returned to the hive. Slightly less accurate than alcohol wash — mites may not dislodge fully.

Sticky Board / Natural Mite DropAccuracy: Low–ModeratePassive

Insert a sticky board (corflute sheet coated with petroleum jelly or Vaseline) under an open mesh floor.
Leave in place for 24–72 hours.
Remove and count all mites on the board.
Divide total mites by number of days to get a daily mite drop figure.

No bees are harmed. Useful for trend monitoring but not a precise infestation rate. Seasonal temperature affects drop rate.

CO₂ WashAccuracy: HighModerate

Collect ~300 bees into a clear jar.
Administer a short burst of CO₂ gas to anaesthetise the bees.
Roll jar on a white surface — mites dislodge and are visible.
Count mites, then calculate % infestation as with alcohol wash.

Bees survive but are temporarily immobilised. Requires a CO₂ source. Less common for hobbyists.

Tip: Sample at least every 4–6 weeks during the active season and always before and after treatment to assess efficacy. Aim to test from multiple hives across your apiary.

Counted your mites? Log the number straight from your phone and APiLOG will track it against your treatments for you.

See how mite tracking works in APiLOG →