Varroa management planner for 0–50 hives

Turn "I'll treat… sometime" into a clear varroa management plan for your whole season - without memorising timelines or reading through dozens of product leaflets.

Tell us about your apiary

Number of colonies
How many colonies do you usually manage in this plan? (Up to ~50.)

Apiary layout

• Single yard
• Several small yards (2–5 locations)

Climate & season

• Hemisphere - North / South
• Climate - Cold / Temperate / Warm
• Main honey flow month(s) - select one or more months when your main flows happen.

Your current approach

• Do you currently monitor varroa at least 3 times per season?

  • Yes / No / "Not sure, I only treat on a schedule"

• What are you comfortable using?

  • Organic acids only
  • Synthetic treatments allowed
  • Brood breaks / biotechnical methods
  • Flexible / mixed

Basic varroa plan (free)

Based on your answers, you'll see a simple, season-level plan that shows:

• When to monitor
  Key windows across the season to check mite levels (for example: early spring, mid-summer, late summer, pre-winter).

• When to act
  Typical times when interventions are usually considered in your climate (before/after main flow, during brood breaks, etc.).

• What type of tools to consider
  General categories such as "organic acid treatment", "synthetic treatment (if legal and appropriate)", or "brood break / splitting" - not specific products or doses.

Example (simplified):

"In a temperate, northern climate with a main flow in June–July, you should plan at least 3–4 formal monitoring checks:

• after spring build-up,
• mid-summer,
• late summer,
• before winter.
  If mite levels are above your local threshold at any of these checkpoints, you should choose an appropriate treatment or biotechnical method from your local recommendations."

Pro plan (coming soon)

The Pro version goes deeper and turns your season into a month-by-month plan with decision points. Join the waitlist on the tool page to get notified when we unlock that module and the printable PDF workflow for your apiary.

Extra details (Pro)

• Maximum number of treatments per season you are willing to do
• Whether brood breaks are realistic in your system
• Whether you migrate hives or stay in one place
• Your usual monitoring method (alcohol wash, sugar roll, etc.)

Pro output

• A calendar-style list of:

  • specific monitoring weeks,
  • decision windows ("If counts are above X, choose between option A/B; if below, you may delay treatment"),
  • suggested timing for organic vs synthetic options (without naming any brands).

• A summary of:

  • total planned checks,
  • total planned interventions,
  • "high-risk periods" to pay special attention to.

You can download this as a printable PDF with space for your own notes and actual counts.

Important disclaimer

Varroa management is highly local. Products, legal statuses, resistance patterns and recommended thresholds vary by country and even by region.

This planner:

• focuses on timing and strategy, not on specific products or doses;
• uses general threshold concepts (low / medium / high risk), not hard numbers;
• is meant as a planning and educational helper.

It does not:

• replace your local veterinary advice or official guidelines;
• recommend specific active ingredients or brand names;
• guarantee mite-free colonies.

Always follow product labels, local regulations and advice from qualified advisors in your region.

How this varroa planner works

We combine:

• your climate and honey flow information,
• your preferred tools (organic acids, brood breaks, synthetics),
• and common patterns in small apiary management,

to propose a monitor-first plan:

1. You mark a few key times in the season to check mites.
2. At each checkpoint, you compare your counts to your local threshold.
3. If needed, you choose an appropriate intervention for that window from your local toolbox.

Instead of one fixed recipe, you get a framework that can adapt to your actual mite levels and weather.

FAQ

Will this tell me exactly which product to use and how many grams to apply?
No. The planner will only suggest types of tools (organic acids, synthetics, brood breaks) and approximate timing windows. You must choose specific products and doses according to local labels and regulations.

Can I use this if I don't monitor mites at all?
Technically yes, but we strongly encourage you to start monitoring. The planner is most useful if you base your decisions on real counts, not guesses.

Is this suitable for organic certification?
We highlight organic-compatible options when you indicate you only want organic acids and biotechnical methods. However, you must always check your specific certification rules before treating.

What if I have more than 50 hives?
The general timing logic still applies, but larger operations often use different logistics, labour patterns and equipment. For now, this planner is optimised for small apiaries.

Related tools & resources

• Varroa Monitoring & Threshold Helper - build a regular monitoring schedule and understand basic threshold zones.
• First-Year Season Planner - see where varroa checks fit into your first year.
• Hive Inspection Checklist Generator - add "check for signs of varroa stress" to relevant inspections.

From the blog:

• Varroa monitoring basics for small apiaries
• Planning varroa treatments around your honey flow