West Virginia Beekeeping Calendar

Cold but not severe; the cluster stays put on cold days.

• •Heft for weight; add fondant or dry sugar if light.
• •Peek in on a warm, calm day to confirm the cluster and food.
• •Keep entrances reduced and mouse guards in place.

Build-up begins with maple, redbud, and fruit bloom.

• •First full inspection: confirm a laying queen and brood pattern.
• •Take your first varroa count and treat if needed.
• •Reverse boxes and add room; feed 1:1 syrup if stores are low.

Peak flow (tulip poplar, clover) and peak swarming.

• •Super before the flow so bees have storage room.
• •Inspect weekly for swarm cells; split strong colonies.
• •Requeen or make nucs while drones are plentiful.

Flow tapers into a summer slowdown.

• •Remove and extract spring honey once capped.
• •Watch for robbing as forage thins; reduce entrances.
• •Monitor mites monthly — they build quickly now.

Goldenrod and aster flow, then the critical mite window.

• •Add a super if the fall flow is strong.
• •Do your critical late-season mite treatment as supers come off.
• •Feed 2:1 syrup to reach winter weight if stores are short.

Final winter prep.

• •Confirm each colony has enough stores for winter.
• •Install entrance reducers, mouse guards, and top ventilation.
• •Combine any weak or queenless colonies.