August can feel like a quieter month in the bee yard—but don’t be fooled. What you do now has a direct impact on your bees' ability to survive the coming winter. Mite loads are peaking, nectar is scarce in many regions, and queens may slow down. This is the month to get serious about hive health and fall preparation.

1. Monitor and Treat for Varroa Mites (Non-Negotiable)

Varroa populations typically reach their peak in August—often silently devastating colonies without obvious signs.

What to do:

  • Conduct a sugar roll or alcohol wash in early August.

  • Treat immediately if counts exceed threshold (3 mites per 100 bees or more).

  • Remove honey supers before applying treatments that aren’t approved for use during harvest.

Pro Tip: The bees you raise in late summer become your winter bees—keep them healthy now or risk losing them by November.

2. Begin (or Continue) Feeding If Needed

Many areas experience a “summer dearth” in August, when nectar sources are limited.

What to do:

  • Check for adequate food stores (ideally 20–30 lbs of honey going into fall).

  • Feed 2:1 sugar syrup to help bees backfill honey stores.

  • Provide pollen patties if brood production is low or natural pollen is scarce.

3. Evaluate Queen Quality and Brood Pattern

As days get shorter and temps fluctuate, queens may slow their laying. But if brood patterns are weak or erratic, it could signal a problem.

What to do:

  • Check for solid, consistent brood patterns.

  • Replace failing queens now—there’s still time to requeen before fall if needed.

4. Remove Supers and Extract Honey (If Still On)

If you haven’t harvested yet, now is the time to wrap up your extraction.

What to do:

  • Only extract fully capped frames.

  • Return wet supers briefly for the bees to clean up (but monitor for robbing).

  • Store extracted frames in a cool, dry, wax moth-proof space.

5. Reduce Hive Entrances to Prevent Robbing

With nectar in short supply, even strong colonies may turn to robbing behavior.

What to do:

  • Install entrance reducers on weaker or small colonies.

  • Avoid leaving syrup or open honey exposed in the yard.

  • Feed inside the hive (top feeder, frame feeder, etc.) when possible.

6. Inspect for Signs of Disease and Pests

August stress can bring out hidden problems—especially in hives that are queenless, overrun with mites, or food-deprived.

What to check for:

  • Deformed wing virus, chalkbrood, or foulbrood

  • Hive beetle populations (particularly in the South)

  • Wax moth damage in weak or dead-out hives

What to do:

  • Consolidate weak colonies.

  • Freeze infected frames before reuse.

  • Consider beetle traps or cultural controls if infestations rise.

7. Combine or Rehome Weak Colonies

If a colony is very weak and unlikely to survive winter on its own, now is the time to act.

What to do:

  • Combine with a stronger colony using the newspaper method.

  • Ensure both colonies are healthy (especially mite levels) before merging.

8. Start Preparing for Fall & Winter Management

While it’s still warm out, begin gathering what you’ll need for cooler months.

What to do:

  • Inspect and repair hive equipment (lids, boxes, bottom boards).

  • Order winter feeding supplies and insulation if needed.

  • Make a plan for fall feeding, mite treatments, and mouse guards.

August Wrap-Up: Lay the Groundwork for Winter Survival

August is all about setting the stage. Healthy winter bees are raised in late summer—so your feeding, mite control, and queen care this month will determine how strong your colonies are come October and beyond.

Inspect with intention, treat with urgency, and feed when needed. Your future bees are counting on it.