June marks the heart of the active beekeeping season. Colonies are booming, nectar is flowing, and honey production is in full swing. But don’t let the warm weather and busy bees lull you into autopilot—this is a critical month for monitoring hive health, preventing issues, and setting your colonies up for summer success.

1. Monitor Swarming Behavior Closely

Even though peak swarming often occurs in May, June is still a high-risk month—especially for strong, well-fed colonies.

What to do:

  • Continue inspecting every 7–10 days for swarm cells.

  • If space is tight, add a super or consider splitting the hive.

  • Remove queen cells if you're not planning to raise queens or divide the colony.

Tip: If your hive swarmed, inspect and monitor carefully to ensure the new queen is mated and laying well.

2. Stay Ahead of Space Needs

Strong colonies can fill a honey super in a week during a good nectar flow. Don’t fall behind.

What to do:

  • Add honey supers as needed—drawn comb is ideal, but foundation works too.

  • Ensure bees always have room to store nectar and raise brood.

Tip: Crowded bees will either stop working or start swarming.

 

3. Check Honey Production Progress

You should be seeing good nectar intake by now, depending on your region. In some southern states, clover or alfalfa flows may be peaking. In northern areas, the main flow might just be beginning.

What to do:

  • Monitor super weight—don’t open hives unnecessarily.

  • Avoid disturbing honey-filled frames during flow.

  • Prepare for extraction if supers become full and capped.

4. Stay on Top of Varroa Mite Monitoring

Varroa populations grow fast in warm weather. Left unchecked, they’ll impact hive health by late summer.

What to do:

  • Perform a sugar roll or alcohol wash every 30 days.

  • Keep mite levels below threshold (under 2–3 mites per 100 bees).

  • Consider early summer treatments if needed—and only use products compatible with honey production if supers are on.

5. Watch for Queen Performance and Brood Health

By now, your queen should be laying consistently and producing solid brood patterns. If not, act before it’s too late.

What to do:

  • Look for patchy or failing brood patterns.

  • Requeen if you see signs of poor performance, spotty laying, or high drone levels.

  • Observe brood for signs of chalkbrood, sacbrood, or foulbrood.

6. Continue Replacing Old Comb

Summer is a good time to cycle out old, dark brood comb to improve overall hive health.

What to do:

  • Replace a few old frames with new foundation each month.

  • Avoid disrupting brood areas too much during nectar flow.

7. Manage Summer Heat and Ventilation

High temperatures and humidity can stress colonies, especially if hives lack proper airflow.

What to do:

  • Tilt inner covers or use screened bottom boards to improve airflow.

  • Provide water near the apiary—bees need hydration to regulate hive temperature.

  • Shade hives during the hottest part of the day, especially in southern climates.

8. Extract Honey (If Ready)

In many regions, early honey harvests start in late June. Only extract fully capped frames.

What to do:

  • Use a fume board or bee escape to remove bees from supers.

  • Keep honey stored in sealed, dry areas until bottling.

  • Clean and prep extraction equipment in advance.

9. Plan Ahead for July and the Summer Dearth

After the June nectar flow, many regions experience a lull in forage. Start preparing now.

What to do:

  • Have feed and pollen substitutes ready to support bees through a dearth.

  • Watch for robbing behavior if nectar sources dry up.

10. Keep Learning and Connecting

By June, your beekeeping season is well underway—but there’s always more to learn.

What to do:

  • Attend local club meetings, field days, or online workshops.

  • Share successes (and failures!) with other beekeepers to grow your skills.

June Wrap-Up: Stay Ahead of the Curve

June is about maintaining momentum. Healthy hives, careful inspections, and smart decisions this month will help you avoid trouble in July and ensure your bees stay strong through the rest of the season.

Check your space. Watch your queen. Manage your mites. And enjoy the honey.