Seasonal calendar and checklists

This page is a quick reference: a calendar of the beekeeping year, then checklists you can print and tick off. For the reasoning behind each task, see seasonal management by climate zone; for harvest timing and method, see harvesting and extracting honey. To print a checklist, use your browser’s print option.

Season-by-season calendar

The calendar suits the temperate south, where the usual calendar seasons fit. Bees follow the weather and the flowers, so treat the months as a rough guide.

Season	Months	Main jobs
Spring	September to November	Early check for laying queen, brood pattern and stores; feed if low; add space; swarm control; combine weak colonies; water nearby
Summer	December to February	Water; avoid opening hives in the heat; manage supers; fire precautions; watch small hive beetle
Autumn	March to May	Pre-winter inspection; check stores; requeen or combine; reduce boxes; stop robbing
Winter	June to August	Open hives rarely; watch the entrance; sunny sheltered site; repair equipment

All year: test for varroa as your state advises (see varroa mite) and keep records (see inspections and records).

How the north differs

• Tropical north. The tropics have a dry and a wet season, so the four-season calendar does not apply. Read it as build-up, peak and slow-down and ask a local beekeeper how it falls in your area.
• Warm humid coast. Small hive beetle has the greatest impact here (BeeAware, Business Queensland). Keep colonies strong, keep ground clear and extract promptly.
• Cooler areas. Winters are longer. Ask a local club how much honey colonies need in store.

Checklist: before each inspection

• Fine, calm day with bees flying; avoid the hottest part of the day
• Protective clothing on and checked for gaps
• Smoker lit, cool smoke, fire rules checked
• Hive tool, notes and water ready
• Plan for what to check
• Record the date and weather

See your first inspection for the full method.

Checklist: spring check

• Laying queen: eggs and young larvae present
• Brood pattern good; no signs of brood disease
• Food stores checked; feed if low
• Enough space; super added or swapped where needed
• Queen cells looked for, including along lower frame edges
• Older queens noted for replacement
• Weak colonies combined with another colony
• Small hive beetle traps changed if needed
• Water source nearby
• Varroa test done as your state advises

Checklist: autumn and winter preparation

• Pre-winter inspection in autumn, on a warm, sunny day
• Laying queen confirmed in every colony
• Weak or queenless colonies requeened or combined
• Enough honey in store for winter (ask your club how much)
• Fed in autumn if stores short (not in winter)
• Number of boxes reduced
• Boxes repaired and entrance reduced to deter robbing
• Hive in a sunny, sheltered spot, raised off the ground
• Damaged equipment repaired or replaced
• Records up to date

Checklist: harvest day

• Check the colony will still have enough honey for winter; leave what it needs
• Take only surplus honey
• Keep honey from supplementary feeding out of extraction
• Replace removed boxes with extracted comb or foundation
• Extract promptly: in small hive beetle areas, within one to two days of removal
• Keep wax scraps sealed so other bees cannot rob them
• Store supers somewhere well ventilated
• Record the date and the hives harvested

Checklist: kit

• Veil, suit and gloves, checked for holes
• Hive tool
• Smoker and fuel
• Notebook or record sheet
• Spare boxes, frames and lids
• Water, to drink and for the smoker area
• Alcohol-wash or other varroa test kit
• Sealed container for wax scraps

See what you need to start for what each item is for.