Calendar for the Management of Beekeeping
July
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From the Rev. Langstroth: In some seasons and districts, this is the great swarming month, while in others, bees issuing so late, are of small account. In Northern Massachusetts, I have known swarms coming after the 4th of July, to fill their hives and make large quantities of surplus honey besides. In this month all the choicest spare honey should be removed from the hives, before the delicate whiteness of the combs becomes soiled by the travel of the bees, or the purity of the honey is impaired by an inferior article gathered later in the season. The bees should have a liberal allowance of air during all extremely hot weather, and if the stocks are strong, I often remove entirely the entrance blocks. |
Apiary Activities for this Month
Continue to inspect colonies every 7-10 days
- Starting this month, and continuing thru October, test at least one hive in the apiary Varroa. Action is needed if the Varroa mite level is ≥ 2% (2 mites / 100 bees sampled). (see also IPM, below).
- Ensure to add supers as necessary. Bees which are too crowded are more prone to swarming.
- Remove supers once they are ≥90% capped and extract the honey.
In general, the apiarist should ensure the covers are propped open as necessary for the heat.
Dearth Activities
If there is a dearth of nectar (as was experienced in 2025 due to the rain drought):
- Reduce any upper entrances to a minimum. A dearth period encourages robbing, and the colony needs to retain as much food as possible.
- If there is a dearth of nectar, consider feeding the bees with 2:1 sugar water (2 parts sugar:1 part water) or Hive Alive liquid. This will help to ensure the colony does not consume the honey they will be needing for the Winter.
- Be sure to remove any honey supers before adding any feed.
- Ensure the feeders are only accessible to the desired colony. Making them open for anyone to buck up to the trough will encourage robbing.
- If there is a dearth of pollen, the nurse bees cannot produce royal jelly. The apiarist may need to supplement their pollen during such a time, however the apiarist must be judicious in the addition of pollen as the extra pollen can also drive an increase in small hive beetles.
Also note, during dearth periods the colony may "shut the queen down", preventing her from laying any more eggs. When this happens, the apiarist may be led to believe that the colony is not queen-right. It is a good practice to wait 2 weeks before taking a decision to add a new queen.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
More information is available about Integrated Pest Management.
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Pest Management Controls |
Addresses |
| Cultural Options | |
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Strap the hives to a secure stand. This helps to ensure the larger critters cannot push the hives over (e.g., by a deer rubbing against the side), and stops racoons from opening the top. |
High winds, large critters, & medium sized critters |
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If you are going to. use a brood break to help reduce Varroa, they are
Late July or Early August is the best time for using a brood break to address Varroa before going into Winter. |
Varroa |
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Add or replace beetle traps as necessary. |
Small hive beetles |
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Add a carpet tack strip to the entrance board to defer critters |
Skunks |
| Genetic Options | |
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You can replace your queen with one which will sire Varroa-resistant stock. That is discussed more in Genetic Stock, along with options. |
Varroa |
| Chemical Options | |
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Action is needed if the Varroa mite level is ≥ 2% (2 mites / 100 bees).
There should be no honey supers on the hive just yet, but they may be added in late April or early May. Take that into account when planning what to use. |
Varroa |
Pests not Addressed by this IPM Matrix
These pests are not addressed by the IPM matrix above. If you experience damage from these pests, contact your local bee inspector or the bee club.
- Bears - electric fencing is needed here and you will need to consult someone with experience about that.
More Information
Books and Papers
- A Practical Treatise on the Hive and Honey-Bee, 2d Edition, 1857, by the Rev. Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth
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Disclaimer: eMail comments to me at BeekeepingBoK @ Gmail.com. The process of beekeeping can cause injury or be a health hazard unless proper precautions are taken, including the wearing of appropriate protective equipment. |