Time of Day

You might prefer working your hives in the afternoon sun in a t-shirt and flip-flops, or in the cool morning air so your full suit doesn't feel so stuffy. But sometimes, the task at hand could be easier at a certain time of day. In this article, I will list many common beekeeping tasks and the best time of day to tackle them.

What does time of day have to do with it?

Instead of talking about hours on the clock, I'm going to be referring to times when the bees are all home vs. times when they are actively foraging.

This is the key difference that will make certain tasks easier (and more successful) if done with consideration to time of day.

Please note that a cold/wet day can be a good substitute for any morning/evening since it accomplishes the same thing - the bees will all be home.

Morning/Evening Bee Tasks

1. Installing a nuc

2. Moving bees

3. Packing bees into nuc boxes/observation hive

4. Oxalic Acid treatments

5. Removing honey supers or honey frames

6. Filling feeders

7. Watching for robbing by wasps

Afternoon Bee Tasks

1. Routine inspections

2. Placing bee escapes

3. Catching/marking queens

4. Grafting Queens

5. Doing hive tours

Is there a task you're thinking of that's not on the list? Please feel free to message me and I can add it. But it's also good practice to start to ask yourself for each bee task that comes up when it makes the most sense to do it. Do you want all the bees to be home? Do you want them clustered on the frames because of colder weather? Or do you want a smaller population with most of the foragers out flying? Asking yourself this question can make many beekeeping tasks more successful and enjoyable!

Looking for more?

Looking for more beekeeping education? You can find my virtual, on-demand beginner and intermediate courses at https://courses.rushingriverapiaries.com

Or if you'd prefer a more tailored experience, you can join my mentorship group at https://www.patreon.com/thehivementorship