Wake County Beekeepers Association

Consider single dose of oxalic acid vapor or drizzle early in Jan. to clean up residual varroa in hives.

Review IPM plans for year.

Varroa mite check (IPM bottom board), treat if necessary

Some hives may need testing for Nosema disease, especially if too cold for cleansing flights.

Late February is not too early to begin varroa mite assessments.

Clean up deadouts before warm weather (prevent wax moth infstations

Assess for pest and/or disease problems, especially varroa mites, American foulbrood, and European foulbrood) and treat if necessary.

Treatments should be completed by late March or early April to limit risk of contaminating honey.

First mite check of season on first warm days of March.

No pest treatments this month if you plan to harvest honey.

Monitor hive beetles

Install small hive beetle traps.

No pest treatments this month if you plan to harvest honey.

Continue small hive beetle measures.

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

Monitor hive beetles

All medications will vary in monthly usage.

Good month to do splits and conduct mite controls of broodless colonies.

Early June may allow use of temperature-limited treatments.

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.

Pest controls are critical this month.

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

Hive beetles population peak.

Increase risk of wax moth infestations.

Yellow jacket robbing.

All medications will vary in monthly usage.

Varroa treatments should be complete by the end of the month

Alternating medications to keep pests from developing immunity to them.

All medications will vary in monthly usage.

Watch for excessive hive beetle populations

Watch for wax moth signs

Remove all pest treatment

Assess IPM efforts and plan for next year.

Consider single dose of oxalic acid late in Dec. (while hive’s likely broodless) to clean up residual varroa.

Assess IPM efforts and plan for next year