Description
Manage and care for honey bee colonies in apiaries for pollination services and the production of honey, wax, pollen, propolis, and queens. Duties include inspecting hives, feeding, supering, splitting, requeening, swarm control, and moving colonies. Monitor and treat for pests and diseases, maintain equipment and yards, harvest and process hive products, keep records, comply with regulations, and ensure safety. May raise queens, catch swarms, and overwinter colonies.
- • Inspect hives for queen status, brood pattern, food stores, strength, and disease or pests.
- • Provide supplemental feed and maintain water sources during dearths.
- • Monitor and treat Varroa, small hive beetles, Nosema, and other health threats per label.
- • Mix and apply sugar syrup, pollen patties, and approved treatments in set amounts.
- • Assemble, repair, and maintain boxes, frames, foundations, pallets, smokers, and PPE.
- • Super, equalize, split, and combine colonies; requeen and mark queens as needed.
- • Prevent swarming; capture and relocate swarms safely when they occur.
- • Load, strap, transport, and place hives for pollination or forage; level and secure stands.
- • Harvest honey; uncap, extract, filter, bottle, and label to food safety standards.
- • Collect and process beeswax, pollen, and propolis; store products properly.
- • Clean and sanitize hive parts, tools, extractors, and honey house areas.
- • Install and maintain bear fencing, pallets, and windbreaks to protect apiaries.
- • Monitor apiaries via truck, ATV, or on foot; maintain access and signage.
- • Order and stage sugar, feed, woodenware, treatments, and packaging supplies.
- • Keep inspection, treatment, movement, pollination, production, and cost records.
- • Prepare colonies for seasons, including winterizing, ventilation, and ensuring stores.
- • Follow pesticide labels and regulations; obtain veterinary oversight when required.
- • Train seasonal staff in safe beekeeping and PPE; manage sting and heat risks.
- • Coordinate with growers on pollination timing, stocking rates, and hive placement.
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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Last reviewed: Jan 2026
