Florida Beekeeping Management Calendar
Updated
At a glance
Filled: at or over its phase's thresholdOutlined: under itGrey: phase not recorded
| January: the Florida calendar asks for a mite check. “Monitor for Varroa. Although Varroa population may have already peaked, continue to monitor colonies. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source. / Monitor for Varroa. Although Varroa populations may have already peaked, continue to monitor colonies. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.” |
| February: the Florida calendar asks for a mite check. “Monitor for Varroa. Although Varroa populations may have already peaked, continue to monitor colonies. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.” |
| March: the Florida calendar asks for a mite check. “Control Varroa. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.” |
| June: the Florida calendar asks for a mite check. “Varroa populations begin to grow, so monitor your colonies. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source. / Varroa populations begin to grow, so monitor your colonies. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source. / Varroa populations begin to grow, so monitor your colonies. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.” |
| July: the Florida calendar asks for a mite check. “Monitor for Varroa. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source. / Monitor for Varroa. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source. / Monitor for Varroa. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.” |
| August: the Florida calendar asks for a mite check. “Monitor for Varroa. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source. / Monitor for Varroa. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source. / Monitor for Varroa. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.” |
| September: the Florida calendar asks for a mite check. “Monitor for Varroa. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source. / Monitor for Varroa. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source. / Monitor for Varroa. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.” |
| October: the Florida calendar asks for a mite check. “Monitor for Varroa. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source. / Monitor for Varroa. Although Varroa population may have already peaked, continue to monitor colonies. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source. / Monitor for Varroa. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.” |
| November: the Florida calendar asks for a mite check. “Monitor for Varroa. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source. / Monitor for Varroa. Although Varroa population may have already peaked, continue to monitor colonies. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source. / Monitor for Varroa. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.” |
| December: the Florida calendar asks for a mite check. “Monitor for Varroa. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source. / Monitor for Varroa. Although Varroa population may have already peaked, continue to monitor colonies. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source. / Monitor for Varroa. / This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.” |
UF/IFAS publishes three Florida calendars rather than one: north, central and south Florida each get their own table, with a row for each month from January to September and a single row covering October through December. All three are below.
- Publisher
- UF/IFAS Extension (IN848)
- Date
- Revised September 2021; reviewed November 2024
- Organized
- Month by month, October–December grouped, for north, central and south Florida
- Mite checks
- January, February, March, June, July, August, September, October, November and December Mite checks section
On this page
UF/IFAS Extension's IN848 does not treat Florida as one climate, and it gives its reason in its first sentence: "Climate, plant communities, and timing of floral resources differ significantly between the three main regions in Florida: north Florida, central Florida, and south Florida." The publication then draws the boundaries by county, and builds a separate table for each of the three.
Those boundaries are worth having in front of you while reading the tables. "North Florida encompasses the panhandle region, down through Alachua, Levy, Putnam, and Flagler counties." "Central Florida includes Marion County down through Sarasota County." And south Florida takes "the remaining counties including the Keys".
The calendar says what it is for and what it is not for. It "was created for beekeepers in Florida. It is specific to region (north, central, south Florida) and month." It is also not a complete manual: "This management calendar is not exhaustive. It is meant merely as a reference or starting point for honey bee colony management in Florida." Each table runs a row per month from January to September, then one last row that covers October, November and December together. All three appear below under their own headings, in the publication's order, with treatment product lists replaced by a pointer to the source.
The calendar
North Florida
January
- Feed colonies if light - colonies can starve! Also, supply pollen supplements if necessary.
- (mite check) Monitor for Varroa. Although Varroa population may have already peaked, continue to monitor colonies.
- (mite check) This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- You can treat colonies for Nosema disease this time of year, with the disease being potentially more significant in central and south Florida. It is recommended that beekeepers ensure that their colonies have access to adequate nutrition.
- Repair/paint old equipment.
Check a mite count with the varroa calculator.
February
- Queen issues are especially problematic this time of year. Remedy failing queens as necessary.
- Feed colonies if light - colonies can starve!
March
- Control Nosema. Make sure colonies are well-fed to reduce Nosema spore counts.
- This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- Colony populations begin to grow. Add supers and/or control swarming as necessary.
- Make nucs/splits.
April
- Queen issues are problematic this time of year. Remedy failing queens as necessary.
- Continue to control swarming.
- Make nucs/splits as new queens and packages become available.
- Add supers; the primary nectar flow begins this month.
May
- Queen issues are problematic this time of year. Remedy failing queens as necessary.
- Continue to control swarming.
- Super as necessary.
June
- (mite check) Varroa populations begin to grow, so monitor your colonies.
- (mite check) This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- Remove and process honey.
Check a mite count with the varroa calculator.
July
- (mite check) Monitor for Varroa.
- (mite check) This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- Remove and process honey; main flow stops.
Check a mite count with the varroa calculator.
August
- Feed colonies if light. (Colonies can starve!)
- (mite check) Monitor for Varroa.
- (mite check) This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- Monitor and control for small hive beetles.
- It’s hot! Ensure adequate colony ventilation.
Check a mite count with the varroa calculator.
September
- Feed colonies if light. (Colonies can starve!)
- (mite check) Monitor for Varroa.
- (mite check) This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- Nosema can be a significant colony problem this time of year. Making sure colonies are well fed will reduce Nosema spore counts (one million spores per bee is considered a high spore count).
Check a mite count with the varroa calculator.
October–December
- Feed colonies if light. (Colonies can starve!)
- (mite check) Monitor for Varroa.
- (mite check) This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- You can treat colonies for Nosema disease this time of year. Making sure colonies are well fed will reduce Nosema spore counts (one million spores per bee is considered a high spore count).
- Monitor and control for small hive beetles.
Check a mite count with the varroa calculator.
Central Florida
January
- Feed colonies if light - colonies can starve! Also, supply pollen supplements if necessary.
- (mite check) Monitor for Varroa. Although Varroa populations may have already peaked, continue to monitor colonies.
- (mite check) This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- Nosema can be a significant colony problem this time of year. Making sure colonies are well fed will reduce Nosema spore counts (one million spores per bee is considered a high spore count).
- Repair/paint old equipment.
Check a mite count with the varroa calculator.
February
- Feed colonies if light - colonies can starve! Also, supply pollen supplements if necessary.
- (mite check) Monitor for Varroa. Although Varroa populations may have already peaked, continue to monitor colonies.
- (mite check) This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
Check a mite count with the varroa calculator.
March
- (mite check) Control Varroa.
- (mite check) This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- Queen issues are especially problematic this time of year. Remedy failing queens as necessary.
- Colony populations begin to grow. Add supers and/or control swarming as necessary.
- Make nucs/splits.
Check a mite count with the varroa calculator.
April
- Queen issues are especially problematic this time of year. Remedy failing queens as necessary.
- Continue to control swarming.
- Make nucs/splits as new queens and packages become available.
- Super as necessary.
May
- Queen issues are especially problematic this time of year. Remedy failing queens as necessary.
- Continue to control swarming.
- Super as necessary.
June
- (mite check) Varroa populations begin to grow, so monitor your colonies.
- (mite check) This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- Remove and process honey; main flow slows.
Check a mite count with the varroa calculator.
July
- (mite check) Monitor for Varroa.
- (mite check) This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- Remove and process honey; main flow stops.
Check a mite count with the varroa calculator.
August
- Feed colonies if light. (Colonies can starve!)
- (mite check) Monitor for Varroa.
- (mite check) This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- Monitor and control for small hive beetles.
- It’s hot! Ensure adequate colony ventilation.
Check a mite count with the varroa calculator.
September
- If no nectar flow, feed colonies if light.
- (mite check) Monitor for Varroa.
- (mite check) This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- Nosema can be a significant colony problem this time of year. Making sure colonies are well fed will reduce Nosema spore counts (one million spores per bee is considered a high spore count).
- Super colonies if there is a strong Brazilian pepper flow.
Check a mite count with the varroa calculator.
October–December
- Feed colonies if light. (Colonies can starve!)
- (mite check) Monitor for Varroa. Although Varroa population may have already peaked, continue to monitor colonies.
- (mite check) This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- Nosema can be a significant colony problem this time of year. Making sure colonies are well fed will reduce Nosema spore counts (one million spores per bee is considered a high spore count).
- Monitor and control for small hive beetles.
Check a mite count with the varroa calculator.
South Florida
January
- Feed colonies if light. (Colonies can starve!) Also supply pollen supplements if necessary.
- Nosema can be a significant colony problem this time of year. Making sure colonies are well fed will reduce Nosema spore counts (one million spores per bee is considered a high spore count).
- Repair/paint old equipment.
February
- Feed colonies if light. (Colonies can starve!)
- Nosema can be a significant colony problem this time of year. Making sure colonies are well fed will reduce Nosema spore counts (one million spores per bee is considered a high spore count).
- This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- Make nucs/splits.
March
- This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- Queen issues are problematic this time of year. Remedy failing queens as necessary.
- Colony populations begin to grow. Add supers and/or control swarming as necessary.
April
- Queen issues are especially problematic this time of year. Remedy failing queens as necessary.
- Continue to control swarming.
- Make nucs/splits as new queens and packages become available.
- Super as necessary.
- Orange blossom honey can be extracted in late April.
May
- Queen issues are especially problematic this time of year. Remedy failing queens as necessary.
- Continue to control swarming.
- Super as necessary.
June
- (mite check) Varroa populations begin to grow, so monitor your colonies.
- (mite check) This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- If flow is over, remove and process honey.
- Super as necessary for late flows.
Check a mite count with the varroa calculator.
July
- (mite check) Monitor for Varroa.
- (mite check) This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- Remove and process honey; main flow stops.
Check a mite count with the varroa calculator.
August
- Feed colonies if light. (Colonies can starve!)
- (mite check) Monitor for Varroa.
- (mite check) This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- Monitor and control for small hive beetles.
- It’s hot! Ensure adequate colony ventilation.
Check a mite count with the varroa calculator.
September
- If no nectar flow, feed colonies if light.
- (mite check) Monitor for Varroa.
- (mite check) This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- Nosema can be a significant colony problem this time of year. Making sure colonies are well fed will reduce Nosema spore counts (one million spores per bee is considered a high spore count).
- Super colonies if there is a strong Brazilian pepper flow.
Check a mite count with the varroa calculator.
October–December
- Feed colonies if light. (Colonies can starve!)
- (mite check) Monitor for Varroa.
- (mite check) This calendar names a treatment option here; see the source.
- Nosema can be a significant colony problem this time of year. Making sure colonies are well fed will reduce Nosema spore counts (one million spores per bee is considered a high spore count).
- Monitor and control for small hive beetles.
Check a mite count with the varroa calculator.
The three tables side by side
Reading the tables against each other is the point of the publication, and the differences are specific rather than general. North Florida's April row is where supers go on: "Add supers; the primary nectar flow begins this month." South Florida's April carries a harvest line the others don't: "Orange blossom honey can be extracted in late April." Central and south Florida both end September with "Super colonies if there is a strong Brazilian pepper flow."
Some rows are shared word for word. "Queen issues are especially problematic this time of year. Remedy failing queens as necessary." appears in more than one table; so do the feeding lines, the swarm-control lines and "Make nucs/splits." The repetition is the source's, and it is left as it is rather than paraphrased into difference that isn't there.
Heat, beetles and the months without a flow
Small hive beetles get a line of their own six times across the three tables: in every August row, and in every October-through-December row. It reads "Monitor and control for small hive beetles." in each case, so the load is the same wherever you are in the state.
August carries a ventilation line in all three tables, and it is the one row that talks about the weather directly: "It's hot! Ensure adequate colony ventilation." It sits beside the August feeding line, which is about colonies running light: "Feed colonies if light. (Colonies can starve!)"
Mite checks
Varroa runs through all three tables, and the wording is mostly the same short line: "Monitor for Varroa." Central Florida's January and February rows add a caution about reading a quiet count the wrong way: "Although Varroa populations may have already peaked, continue to monitor colonies." North Florida's January row and central Florida's October-through-December row carry the same caution with the singular noun instead. June's rows in all three tables say the opposite thing about the same year: "Varroa populations begin to grow, so monitor your colonies." Central Florida's March row says only "Control Varroa."
IN848 prints a figure alongside its treatment advice. This page doesn't repeat it, and neither do the tables above — treatment product lists and the numbers attached to them stay with the publication. Put a sample count into the varroa calculator to get a percentage and the Honey Bee Health Coalition's current action level for it.
Mite-check reminders for the Florida calendar
One short email in each month the Florida calendar asks for a mite check. Nothing else.