How-To Guides
Public beekeeping guides from BeehiveTracker. Google and visitors can read these guides without logging in.
How to Help Bees During a Drought
to Help Bees During a Drought When a dry spell stops nectar flowing, honey bee colonies can go from comfortable to hungry surprisingly quickly. The priorities are simple: check stores, provide reliable water, feed safely...
SeasonalHow to Manage Bees During the June Gap
to Manage Bees During the June Gap The June Gap is a temporary shortage of nectar that can occur between the end of spring forage and the start of the main summer flows. In the UK it often follows oilseed rape, hawthorn,...
SeasonalHow to Manage Bees in Autumn
to Manage Bees in Autumn Autumn beekeeping is about preparing colonies to survive winter, not about tidying up for the beekeeper. Once the main honey flow is over, your priorities are clear: reduce varroa before winter b...
SeasonalHow to Prepare Bees for Winter
to Prepare Bees for Winter Preparing bees for winter is mainly autumn work. By the time cold weather arrives, your colonies should have healthy winter bees, low Varroa pressure, enough accessible stores, a sound queen, a...
SeasonalHow to Feed Bees in Autumn
to Feed Bees in Autumn Autumn feeding is one of the most important seasonal jobs in UK beekeeping. A colony that goes into winter short of food may starve before spring, even if it is otherwise healthy. The aim is simple...
SeasonalHow to Check Winter Stores
to Check Winter Stores Winter stores checks should be quick, purposeful and as non-disruptive as possible. Start outside the hive: look at the entrance, roof, mouse guard and overall condition, then heft the hive or chec...
SeasonalHow to Insulate a Beehive for Winter
to Insulate a Beehive for Winter Insulating a beehive for winter is not about making it airtight. It is about keeping the colony dry, reducing unnecessary heat loss above the cluster, protecting against wind and mice, an...
SeasonalHow to Ventilate a Hive in Winter
to Ventilate a Hive in Winter Winter hive ventilation is not about making a colony cold. It is about keeping the bees dry while avoiding draughts through the cluster. A good UK winter setup gives moisture somewhere safe...
SeasonalHow to Check Bees Without Opening the Hive in Winter
to Check Bees Without Opening the Hive in Winter You can learn a great deal about a winter colony without opening the hive. Careful external checks can tell you whether the colony is probably alive, how quickly it is usi...
SeasonalHow to Prevent Starvation in Winter
to Prevent Starvation in Winter Winter starvation is one of the most preventable causes of colony loss in the UK. The key is to make sure each colony goes into winter with enough accessible stores, a healthy population o...
SeasonalHow to Revive a Starving Colony
to Revive a Starving Colony A starving colony needs fast, calm action. First confirm what is happening: a light hive, little or no food within reach of the bees, a cold cluster, robbing, queen failure or disease can all...
SeasonalHow to Manage Bees After Winter Losses
to Manage Bees After Winter Losses Winter losses are difficult, but they are also useful information. The right response is not to rush into saving equipment or moving frames. Start by confirming the colony is truly dead...
Swarm ControlHow to Stop Bees from Swarming
to Stop Bees from Swarming Swarming is the natural way a honey bee colony reproduces. You cannot remove the instinct completely, but you can greatly reduce the risk and control it when signs appear. The practical answer...
Swarm ControlHow to Spot Queen Cells
to Spot Queen Cells Queen cells are one of the most important things to recognise during a hive inspection. They tell you whether a colony may be preparing to swarm, replacing a failing queen, or trying to recover after...
Swarm ControlHow to Tell the Difference Between Swarm Cells and Supersedure Cells
to Tell the Difference Between Swarm Cells and Supersedure Cells If a colony is preparing to swarm, you will usually find several charged queen cells, often along the lower edges or side edges of brood frames, with a str...
Swarm ControlHow to Perform an Artificial Swarm
to Perform an Artificial Swarm An artificial swarm is a practical swarm control method that mimics what a honey bee colony is trying to do naturally. You move the old queen into a fresh hive on the original stand so the...
Swarm ControlHow to Split a Hive to Prevent Swarming
to Split a Hive to Prevent Swarming Splitting a hive is one of the most useful swarm control techniques for UK beekeepers. Done at the right time, it reduces crowding, interrupts the colony’s swarm impulse and gives you...
Swarm ControlHow to Catch a Bee Swarm
to Catch a Bee Swarm A honey bee swarm is usually easiest to catch while it is clustered in one mass on a branch, fence, post or wall. The safest method is simple: prepare a ventilated nuc or brood box, position it under...
Swarm ControlHow to Put a Swarm into a Hive
to Put a Swarm into a Hive Putting a swarm into a hive is usually straightforward if you work calmly, protect the queen and give the bees a suitable cavity to settle in. The aim is simple: get the queen and the main clus...
Swarm ControlHow to Care for a Newly Caught Swarm
to Care for a Newly Caught Swarm A newly caught swarm should be put into a clean, secure hive or nucleus box as soon as practical, given good ventilation, a reduced entrance and enough space to cluster. Leave the bees to...
Swarm ControlHow to Use a Bait Hive
to Use a Bait Hive A bait hive is a prepared empty hive used to attract and house a honey bee swarm. It does not replace normal swarm control in your own colonies, but it can help you recover swarms that would otherwise...
Swarm ControlHow to Set Up a Swarm Trap
to Set Up a Swarm Trap A good swarm trap gives scout bees what they are looking for: a dry, secure cavity of the right size, a small entrance, a clear flight path and the smell of a previously successful nest. In the UK,...
Swarm ControlHow to Stop a Swarm Leaving Again
to Stop a Swarm Leaving Again ## Short answer To stop a swarm leaving again, you must change the colony’s situation, not just remove a few queen cells. Check whether the queen is present, assess the number and stage of q...
Swarm ControlHow to Manage Virgin Queens After Swarming
to Manage Virgin Queens After Swarming ## Short answer After a colony has swarmed, do not rush to “fix” it unless there is a clear problem. In a normal prime swarm, the old queen leaves with a large part of the flying be...