Wake County Beekeepers Association

Bees will begin to hang around outside the hive (wash-boarding)

The outside activity is beginning to slow down as the nectar flow decreases.

Bee population begins to decline

Continue inspections to the hive to make sure your hive is healthy.

Adjust entrance sixe to match bee population

Attend your bee club meetings.

Inspections should be quick to limit robbing risk

Check supers, move less full frames in, fuller frames out

Right-size the number of brood boxes and keep to a minimum based on colony population.

Mite check for all colonies not yet treated.

Good month for new queens. Most local queen breeders will not make more after June.

Egg laying will decrease significantly. Good opportunity to confine queen to single brood box. Easier to assess queen production.

Clover to 7/25; Coreopsis, 7/25 – 10/8, Heartsease and Smartweed bloom this month.

Keep water available constantly

Pollen sources still available, almost no natural nectar sources in sufficient quantities to feed colonies with no honey stores. Will need feeding of syrup

Nectar dearth in full swing

Monitor hive beetles

Continue small hive beetle measures.

Check Varroa mite levels, treat if necessary (unless you plan to harvest honey)

All medications will vary in monthly usage.

Hive beetles population peak.
Alarmingly high numbers may be observed on covers, but does not always spell doom of colony. Right-size the space so bees can challenge and keep hive beetles in check.

Add extra ventilation (shims or wedges)

Excessive empty brood area when bee population drops may increase risk of wax moth and hive beetle infestations (not enough bees to defend the hive).

Continue use of reduced entrances for robbing prevention.

Comb building unlikely for remainder of the year.

Look out for empty brood boxes or frames. Reduce numbers of brood boxes as needed.

Will likely see lots of bearding for next 2 months. No action is needed to stop bees from bearding.

Continue to watch for swarming (less likely)

Some harvest early.

Melt down wax from cappings and crushed comb and culled frames.

Explore mead recipes for your honey harvest