Interactive lesson

The beekeeping year, step by step

Interactive lesson: how a colony rises and falls through the year, how to inspect, what the frame and the entrance tell you, and what to do from winter to moving bees.

Free sample Chapters 1 and 2 (8 steps) are free. The full lesson comes with the Beekeeping year month by month module. Already bought? Unlock

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The whole lesson as text

1. The colony through the year

A colony is like a wave: smallest in winter, strongest in June.

Smallest in winter — The winter cluster holds 10,000–15,000 bees, with little or no brood. Your job is peace and protection.
Strongest in June — In January the queen starts laying again, and the number of bees grows until June: 40,000–60,000. Then come swarms and the main flows.
The six-week rule — A bee emerges three weeks after the egg is laid and becomes a forager three weeks later. For a strong colony on oilseed rape in early May, the brood must be growing from March.
Winter bees in August — In August and September the winter bees are raised, and they live 5–6 months. If varroa or hunger weakens them, the colony won't survive March.

Why: Oilseed rape or lime flowers for two or three weeks. If the colony isn't strong then, has no room for honey or has just swarmed, the year is lost. So a beekeeper works ahead.

The beekeeping year starts in August: winter bees and stores decide the spring.
The calendar in this lesson is for lowland UK and Ireland. On mild south-west and west coasts spring starts earlier; in uplands and the north everything runs 2–4 weeks later.

2. How to inspect

Every inspection has a goal: what do you want to find out?

Warm and calm — Above 15 °C (59 °F) in the shade, no wind or rain, between 10 am and 4 pm, when the foragers are out. An inspection takes 10–15 minutes.
The smoker — 2–3 puffs in the entrance, wait a minute, then 1–2 puffs under the crown board. Remove the roof and crown board and lift out the first outside frame.
To the side of the hive — Stand to the side of or behind the hive, never in front of the entrance.
Frame by frame — Hold each frame over the hive. Answer the four questions, write them down, then return the frames in the same order and close the hive.

Why: Don't open a hive “to see how they are”. Every opening chills the brood and sets the colony back a day.

In the season inspect every 7–9 days; in winter and early spring only a quick look from above.
Too much smoke panics the bees.