Apiary management: Operating concept

Planning the beekeeping season makes it possible to prepare optimally for upcoming activities with our bees. Thanks to the operating concept developed by apiservice, this is easy to implement for all beekeepers. It is an indispensable tool for effective apiary management. The operating concept can be personalised and allows for a clear visualisation of beekeeping activities and the planning of the appropriate work.

► Personal operating concept

Period	Activity	Reminder link
Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis)	Check food stores If needed, provide fondant	4.2. Feeding
Goat willow (Salix caprea)	Observe the entrance and/or check debris on hive floors Spring inspection Reduce the hive space	4.8.1. Entrance observation 4.8.2. Debris check 4.3. Overwintering a colony 4.7.4. Management of queenless colonies
Grape hyacinth (Muscari azureum) Oxlip (Primula elatior)	Health check Eliminate weak colonies Varroa check: emergency treatment if necessary Replace missing or weak queens in production colonies with queens from young, healthy colonies Replace production colonies Unite healthy colonies occupying fewer than 5 frames Unite young colonies with production colonies Sulphur weak colonies	2. Overview of diseases and pests 4.7.3. Recognising healthy colonies 4.7.2. Eliminating colonies 4.5.2. Introducing a queen 4.7. Colony evaluation and selection 4.7.1. Uniting colonies 1.5.1. Measuring natural varroa drop 1.7.1. Emergency treatment (stackable hives)
Wild cherry / sweet cherry (Prunus avium)	Add space Insert a drone frame	4.4. Frame renewal 1.4.1. Cutting out drone brood
Cherry (Prunus) Dandelion (full bloom; Taraxacum)	Put on honey supers Cut out drone brood Swarm prevention / making nucleus colonies End of May ► Varroa check: emergency treatment if necessary	1.4.1. Cutting out drone brood 1.4.4. Making nucleus colonies with brood 1.4.4.1. Nucleus with consolidated brood 4.6.1. Queen rearing in Mini Plus 1.5.1. Measuring natural varroa drop 1.7.1. Emergency treatment (stackable hives) 4.6.2. Queen rearing in the Laurenz hive
Apple tree (Malus domestica) Sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L)	Swarm prevention / making nucleus colonies Watch for bee poisoning Make, treat, feed and expand nucleus colonies Honey harvest (spring)	1.4.2. Artificial swarm 1.4.3. Artificial swarm with queen 1.4.4. Making nucleus colonies with brood 1.4.4.1. Nucleus with consolidated brood 1.4.5. Midday nucleus 1.4.6. Natural swarms 1.4.7. Splitting a colony during swarm fever 3.1.2. Bee poisoning 3.1.1. Bee poisoning protocol sheet 4.6.1. Queen rearing in Mini Plus 4.6.2. Queen rearing in the Laurenz hive Honey: apisuisse recommendations
Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) Lime tree (Tilia)	Unite healthy colonies that have swarmed Mark the queen Sulphur weak colonies Recognise nectar dearth periods Emergency feeding End of June: varroa check: emergency treatment if necessary	4.7. Colony evaluation and selection 4.7.3. Recognising healthy colonies 4.7.1. Uniting colonies 4.5.1. Finding the queen 4.7.2. Eliminating colonies 3.2. Recognising and mitigating nectar dearth periods 4.2. Feeding 1.5.1. Measuring natural varroa drop 1.5.2. Powdered sugar method 1.7.1. Emergency treatment (stackable hives)
Silver fir (Abies alba)	End of July: summer honey harvest Feed (4–6 kg) 1st summer treatment with formic acid (Optional: 1st summer treatment with oxalic acid when broodless)	1.2.1. Liebig 1.2.2. Nassenheider 1.2.3. FAM 1.2.4. Apidea 1.2.5. MAQS 1.6.1. Brood break 1.6.2. Trap-comb method 1.6.4. Total brood removal with use of brood Honey: apisuisse recommendations
August / September Ivy (Hedera helix)	Feed to complete winter stores	4.2. Feeding
September	2nd summer treatment with formic acid End feeding	1.2.1. Liebig 1.2.2. Nassenheider 1.2.3. FAM 1.2.4. Apidea 1.2.5. MAQS
October	Replace old queens Unite small healthy colonies Sulphur weak colonies Check food stores, possibly last feeding Reduce the hive space End of October: varroa check Supplementary treatment with oxalic acid if necessary	4.5.1. Finding the queen 4.5.2. Introducing a queen 4.7. Colony evaluation and selection 4.7.3. Recognising healthy colonies 4.7.1. Uniting colonies 4.7.2. Eliminating colonies 4.2. Feeding 4.3. Overwintering a colony 1.5.1. Measuring natural varroa drop
November	Preparing for overwintering	4.3. Overwintering a colony
December	Oxalic acid treatment when broodless Check mite drop caused by the treatment After 2 weeks: if more than 500 mites on the floor, a 2nd oxalic acid treatment	1.3.1. Spray treatment 1.3.2. Trickling treatment 1.3.3. Sublimation with Varrox 1.5.1. Measuring natural varroa drop
January / February	Rest: do not disturb Visual check