Scottish Beekeeping
Seasonal Calendar
Month-by-month guide to hive management, colony activity, and flowering plants across Scotland. Tailored to the Scottish climate and growing season.
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May
Peak spring build-up. Colonies are at or near maximum spring strength. Swarming instinct is at its strongest. A strong colony in May can swarm and re-swarm in quick succession if not managed. Nectar is coming in from multiple sources and supers should be filling. This is the most critical month for swarm management.
Hive Tasks
- Inspect every 7 days without fail — queen cells can be sealed in 8 days
- Implement swarm control if queen cells are found: artificial swarm, nucleus method, or Demaree
- Ensure adequate super space — add supers before they are needed, not after
- Check for and remove any brace comb between supers
- Consider splitting strong colonies to increase your apiary and prevent swarming
- Record everything — May is when most swarm-related mistakes happen
Flowering Plants
- Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) — major nectar flow when in full bloom
- Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) — good nectar source
- Sycamore — still in flower, excellent nectar
- Dandelion — still providing nectar and pollen
- Clover (Trifolium spp.) — begins flowering in warmer areas
- Phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia) — if sown as a cover crop, excellent bee plant
- Borage (Borago officinalis) — begins flowering
Watch For
- Swarms — peak swarm season in Scotland is May–June
- Supersedure cells — often found on the face of the comb, not at the bottom
- Chalkbrood — still common in damp conditions
- Swarming after a period of bad weather — colonies can swarm rapidly when weather breaks
Beekeeper's Tip
Never miss a May inspection. If you cannot inspect for 10+ days, use a swarm-prevention measure such as removing the queen to a nucleus as a precaution. One missed inspection in May can result in losing half your bees.