This is part of an ongoing series-Beekeeping Season-A month to month beekeeping calendar and guide. This month’s topic is the August Beekeeping Calendar.

There is so much to learn and worry about with beekeeping. You want to know things like when to feed bees in winter, when to add supers, when should I worry about swarm season?, when to treat for mites, and countless other concerns. And maybe you know these things, but making sure they are done at the right time, in the right order is very important, too.

And, I don’t know about you, but for me, there are so many responsibilities and tasks jammed into my brain at any given moment, the possibility of me missing or forgetting something is high. And I would never want my bees to be negatively affected by a lapse in my memory!

This month by month beekeeping calendar series of posts will teach you just that. And we’ll talk a little about what’s blooming each month of the honey season too. See previous calendar posts here and here.

If you’d like to see it all in one easy place, you can get your copy of this Month-by-Month Beekeeping Guide here.

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This series will cover a general beekeeping calendar for the Northeast, with tips for the South and West interspersed. Look in the coming months for more region specific calendars, but this month by month beekeeping calendar series will cover all you need to know for the beekeeping season where ever you are keeping bees.

August Beekeeping Calendar

In the Hive

• Bees born at the end of August are called winter bees. They live longer than summer bees.
• The bee population will begin to diminish this month.
• Replacing the entrance reducer now will help to discourage robbing by yellow jackets and others, or at least help the bees to fight them off.
• Varroa mite population peaks in August/September.
• Continue to watch for bearding on the outside of the hive on hot evenings.
• It is now too late to split colonies–they will not be strong enough to make it through the winter if split now.
• There is still time to combine/equalize hives to make stronger populations to over winter. Check carefully for diseases before doing this.
• August is a good month to requeen, a young queen will overwinter and have a robust spring laying cycle.

Inspections and Nutrition

• Especially thorough inspections are necessary this month, as pests and diseases have the potential to peak. Now is the time to make sure your hives are set up for the fall honey flow and are prepared to overwinter.
• Make sure your hive isn’t honey bound. Ensure the queen has room to lay eggs for winter bees. Move honey combs if needed.
• Bees prepare their colonies for winter during August. A full size colony should have at minimum 70-90 pounds of honey stored by the beginning of October. This would equate to more than one full super. If you extract honey, make sure to leave at least the minimum amounts prescribed here for the bees to feed on over winter, or make sure to feed them enough sugar syrup to make up for the honey deficits.
• You still need to provide a water source near the hive this month.
• If feeding supplemental sugar syrup, it should be a 2:1 ratio
• Supply pollen or pollen substitute to the bees if they are short on protein. A rule of thumb is at least two double-sided frames of pollen or bee bread by late winter/early spring.
• The decrease in pollen flow in autumn is what signals the bees to rear winter bees.

Equipment & Pest Management

• The number of Varroa mites per 100 to signal for treatment increases to 3 mites per 100 bees at this time of year. Continue to monitor for Varroa mites consistently.
• Check every single brood frame for American foulbrood.
• Keep good records here is a very helpful beehive inspection sheet that I created. It has everything you need.

In The Bee Yard (Equipment Continued)

Click on the Images Below to Find the Beekeeping Tools You Need

Blooming Now

Everything continues to bloom. Wild goldenrod (Solidago) nectar flow is highest in August.

Conclusion

The main take away for me in the August beekeeping calendar is still to closely monitor the effects of heat both in and around the hive. The bees will modify their behavior and activities to adapt to high, prolonged heat, but so will food sources. Make sure your bees have plenty of food and water and that they are able to cool the hive effectively. Also, now is the time to keep on top of monitoring Varroa Mites and to prepare for the honey harvest.