Florida Honey Bee Management Calendar | South Florida Region

Florida Honey Bee Management Calendar for South Florida Region

Not in South Florida, click here for North and Central Florida Bee Management Calendars

January

1. Feed colonies if light and supply pollen supplement if necessary. Colonies can starve! (hopefully you left enough honey stores from last season)

2. Nosema apis and/or Nosema ceranae can be a significant problem this time of year. Be on the watch for Nosema. You have to decide how/if you want to treat.

3. Repair and paint old equipment for new season

4. Are you ready for the February Citrus bloom? Talk to your growers!

5. Blooming plants in Lee County: Blue Porterweed, Mexican Clover, Primrose Willow, Sky blue Cluster vine, Sleeping Hibiscus/Turks Cap, Snow Square Stem, Spanish Needle, Tropical Sage

6. Blooming plants in South Florida: Maple, Mexican Clover, Primrose Willow, Spanish Needle, Willow

February

1. Feed colonies if honey stores are light and supply pollen supplement if necessary. Colonies can starve!

2. Be on the watch for Nosema apis and/or Nosema ceranae. You have to decide how/if you want to treat.

3. Be on the watch for American Foulbrood and European Foulbrood. You have to decide how/if you want to treat.

4. Varroa destructor mite numbers begin to grow in South Florida in February. Monitor closely, . You have to decide how/if you want to treat.

5. Make NUCs and splits - make sure you have new queens available.

6. Blooming plants in Lee County: Blue Porterweed, Mango, Mexican Clover, Southern Live Oak, Orange, Primrose Willow, Sky blue Cluster vine, Sleeping Hibiscus/Turks Cap, Snow Square Stem, Spanish Needle, Sweet Clover, Tropical Sage, Weeping Bottle Brush

7. Blooming plants in South Florida: Mexican Clover, Southern Live Oak, Orange, Primrose Willow, Spanish Needle, Sweet Clover

March

1. Colony populations begin to grow! Add supers and/or control swarming as necessary

2. Monitor and continue to treat for prevention of American Foulbrood

3. Blooming plants in Lee County: Blue Porterweed, Mango, Mangrove, Mexican Clover, Southern Live Oak, Orange, Primrose Willow, SeaGrape, Sky blue Cluster vine, Sleeping Hibiscus/Turks Cap, Snow Square Stem, Spanish Needle, Sweet Clover, Tropical Sage, Weeping Bottle Brush

4. Blooming plants in South Florida: Buttonwood, Mangrove, Mexican Clover, Southern Live Oak, Orange, Primrose Willow, SeaGrape, Spanish Needle, Sweet Clover

April

1. Disease and queen problems should be remedied

2. Make NUCs and splits - make sure you have new queens available.

3. Continue swarm control

4. Flow began in March - continue to add supers as necessary

5. Begin harvesting and extracting orange blossom honey (late April)

6. Blooming plants in Lee County: Blue Porterweed, Buttonwood, Carambola (Star Fruit), Chinese Violets, Galberry, Mangrove, Mexican Clover, Orange, Primrose Willow, SeaGrape, Shrubby False Buttonweed, Sky blue Cluster vine, Sky Flower, Sleeping Hibiscus/Turks Cap, Smartweed, Snow Square Stem, Spanish Needle, Tropical Sage, Weeping Bottle Brush, Wild Coffee

7. Blooming plants in South Florida: Buttonwood, Galberry, Mangrove, Mexican Clover, Orange, Primrose Willow, SeaGrape, Shrubby False Buttonweed, Smartweed, Spanish Needle, Wild Coffee, Willow

May

1. Continue to remedy colony maladies, especially queen problems

2. Continue swarm control

3. Continue to add supers as necessary

4. Move bees from oranges to other locations

5. Blooming plants in Lee County: Black Mangrove, Blue Porterweed, Buttonwood, Butterfly Milkweed, Carambola (Star Fruit), Chinese Violets, Dahoon Holly, Galberry, Mango, Mangrove, Mexican Clover, Primrose Willow, Saw Palmetto, SeaGrape, Shrubby False Buttonweed, Sky blue Cluster vine, Sky Flower, Sleeping Hibiscus/Turks Cap, Smartweed, Snow Square Stem, Spanish Needle, Tropical Sage, Wild Coffee

6. Blooming plants in South Florida: Black Mangrove, Buttonwood, Dahoon Holly, Galberry, Mangrove, Mexican Clover, Primrose Willow, Saw Palmetto, SeaGrape, Shrubby False Buttonweed, Smartweed, Spanish Needle, Wild Coffee

June

1. Super as necessary for late flows.

2. If honey flow is over, remove and process honey

3. Varroa destructor mite populations begin to grow. Monitor colonies closely and treat if necessary

4. Blooming plants in Lee County: Black Mangrove, Blue Porterweed, Butterfly Milkweed, Chinese Violets, Dahoon Holly, Galberry, Melaleuca, Mangrove, Mexican Clover, Pickerel weeds, Primrose Willow, Sabal Palm, Saw Palmetto, Shrubby False Buttonweed, Sky blue Cluster vine, Sky Flower, Sleeping Hibiscus/Turks Cap, Smartweed, Snow Square Stem, Spanish Needle, Tropical Sage, Wild Coffee

5. Blooming plants in South Florida: Black Mangrove, Dahoon Holly, Galberry, Mangrove, Mexican Clover, Primrose Willow, Sabal Palm, Saw Palmetto, Shrubby False Buttonweed, Smartweed, Spanish Needle, Wild Coffee

July

1. Remove and process honey - main flow stops

2. Varroa destructor mite populations begin to grow. Monitor colonies closely and treat if necessary

3. Blooming plants in Lee County: Black Mangrove, Blue Porterweed, Butterfly Milkweed, Chinese Violets, Dahoon Holly, Melaleuca, Mangrove, Mexican Clover, Pickerel weeds, Primrose Willow, Sabal Palm, Shrubby False Buttonweed, Sky blue Cluster vine, Sky Flower, Sleeping Hibiscus/Turks Cap, Smartweed, Snow Square Stem, Spanish Needle, Tropical Sage

4. Blooming plants in South Florida: Dahoon Holly, Mangrove, Melaleuca, Mexican Clover, Primrose Willow, Sabal Palm, Shrubby False Buttonweed, Smartweed, Spanish Needle

August

1. Monitor colonies for Varroa destructor mite (see July)

2. Monitor for American Foulbrood and European Foulbrood

3. Feed colonies if light

4. Monitor for and control small hive beetles (Aethina tumida)

5. It's hot! Make sure colonies have adequate ventilation

6. Attend South Florida Bee College

7. Blooming plants in Lee County: Blue Porterweed, Butterfly Milkweed, Chinese Violets, Melaleuca, Mexican Clover, Pickerel weeds, Primrose Willow, Sabal Palm, Shrubby False Buttonweed, Sky blue Cluster vine, Sky Flower, Sleeping Hibiscus/Turks Cap, Smartweed, Snow Square Stem, Spanish Needle, Tropical Sage

8. Blooming plants in South Florida: Melaleuca, Mexican Clover, Primrose Willow, Sabal Palm, Shrubby False Buttonweed, Smartweed, Spanish Needle

September

1. Monitor colonies for Varroa destructor mite (see July)

2. Super if strong Brazilian Pepper flow

3. Monitor for Nosema apis and/or Nosema ceranae

4. If no nectar flow, feed colonies if light

5. Blooming plants in Lee County: Blue Porterweed, Brazilian Pepper, Butterfly Milkweed, Carambola (Star Fruit), Chinese Violets, Coral Vine, Firebush, Goldenrod, Melaleuca, Mexican Clover, Pickerel weeds, Primrose Willow, Sabal Palm, SeaGrape, Shrubby False Buttonweed, Sky blue Cluster vine, Sleeping Hibiscus/Turks Cap, Smartweed, Snow Square Stem, Spanish Needle, Tropical Sage

October - December

1. Varroa destructor mite populations peaked in Aug/Sep. Monitor Varroa destructor mite populations closely and treat if necessary. Varroa destructor mite remain an issue through the winter due to the warmer temps

2. Monitor for Nosema apis and/or Nosema ceranae.

3. Monitor for and control small hive beetles (Aethina tumida)

4. Feed colonies if light (colonies can starve!)

5. Monitor and treat for Tracheal mites (mix vegetable oil and powdered sugar until doughy, not sticky to touch; place a pancake sized patty on top of bars of brood chambers)

6. October Blooming plants in Lee County: Blue Porterweed, Brazilian Pepper, Carambola (Star Fruit), Chinese Violets, Coconut Palm, Coral Vine, Goldenrod, Melaleuca, Mexican Clover, Pickerel weeds, Primrose Willow, Sky blue Cluster vine, Sleeping Hibiscus/Turks Cap, Smartweed, Snow Square Stem, Spanish Needle, Tropical Sage

7. November Blooming plants in Lee County: Blue Porterweed, Chinese Violets, Goldenrod, Melaleuca, Mexican Clover, Pickerel weeds, Primrose Willow, Sky blue Cluster vine, Sleeping Hibiscus/Turks Cap, Snow Square Stem, Spanish Needle, Tropical Sage

8. December Blooming plants in Lee County: Blue Porterweed, Melaleuca, Mexican Clover, Primrose Willow, Sky blue Cluster vine, Sleeping Hibiscus/Turks Cap, Snow Square Stem, Spanish Needle, Tropical Sage

9. Oct-Dec Blooming plants in South Florida: Brazilian Pepper, Bush Aster, Goldenrod, Mexican Clover, Primrose Willow, Smartweed, Spanish Needle, Spotted Mint (Bee Balm), Vine Aster [Dec also has Maple, Willow]

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