Seasonal Apiary Notes

September in Ontario is a month of transition. The days can still be warm and sunny, with bees flying well and working the remaining blooms, but the nights are getting colder and the colony is already responding to the change. In the August Apiary Notes⁠, we focused on watching entrances, robbing pressure, wasps, bottom boards, and keeping useful records. Those observations still matter, but September moves the work one step deeper into the hive. In our apiary, this is usuall

By late summer, the apiary starts to shift. Warm days and busy entrances may still feel like peak season, but the work around the hive begins to change. The main priorities are simple: watch the entrance, protect the colony, and keep good records. As nectar slows, robbing pressure can increase, wasps may become more persistent, and weaker colonies can become easier targets. August does not always require deep inspections, but it does reward careful observation. Robbing and Wa

July is one of the most important months in the Ontario apiary. The bees are busy, honey supers are getting heavy, and strong colonies can change quickly from one inspection to the next. This year, many colonies seem to be growing especially fast. After the very hot days in June and steady garden growth, some hives have built up sooner than expected, filled space quickly, and needed closer attention from week to week. July is exciting because the results of spring work are n

June is a month of rapid growth in the apiary, and this year’s very hot days made that growth especially noticeable. Warm temperatures, long days, and abundant blooms pushed both gardens and hives ahead quickly. A colony that looked manageable one week could be noticeably busier, fuller, and more crowded the next. This is the time to observe carefully, make space when needed, and enjoy seeing the results of spring’s work. Checking on May’s Swarms One of the most rewarding Jun

May is often the month when the season begins to accelerate in the apiary. Colonies that were building steadily in April can suddenly feel much stronger. Brood expands, bees begin filling frames more quickly, drones are present, and the first signs of swarm season may begin to appear. This is the time to watch growth closely. Swarm season begins In many areas, May is when swarm season starts. A strong colony in spring can grow quickly, especially when forage is coming in and

April marks the first full hive inspection in Ontario. This is the time to confirm winter survival, assess colony strength, check food stores, and observe early signs of spring buildup.

March in Ontario still feels very much like winter, but occasional mild days offer the first opportunity to check on the apiary. These visits are not full inspections. Instead, they are short observations to confirm which colonies have come through winter and to begin preparing for the season ahead. First Quick Look Inside After a few warm days, it may be helpful to take a quick look inside the quieter hives noted during your winter observations. The goal is simply to confirm

February in Ontario is the month of second-guessing. The hives are wrapped, the snow is crusted over, and you haven’t seen a proper flight day in a while. It’s easy to start wondering if your bees are still alive under all that insulation. The good news: winter colonies leave plenty of clues. You can “read” a hive from the outside using classic signs beekeepers have relied on for generations – and you can layer in simple technology to quietly watch temperature and moisture

Winter beekeeping in Ontario looks very different from the active months of spring and summer. Once cold temperatures settle in, hives are closed and direct inspections stop. At that point, successful winter management becomes less about intervention - and more about observation. Understanding what is normal during winter, and what signs indicate a colony is still alive and functioning, can bring peace of mind to both new and experienced beekeepers. What Changes Ontario wint

Seasonal Apiary Notes is a journal of hive observation, apiary management, and seasonal planning in Ontario-shared as practical, field-based notes. Each season is published as its own block (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall). Within each block, posts follow a clear structure: what is being observed, what is being monitored, and what management tasks are being planned-without disturbing the natural rhythm of the hive. Each seasonal block also includes a research focus : a specific