Nectar Flow Planner

Enter your region and key dates to plan super management.

Expected flow start (week of year)

Expected peak flow (week of year)

Expected flow end (week of year)

Number of colonies

Supers available per colony

Flow duration —

Add first super by —

Check/add supers every —

Harvest window —

Total supers needed —

Add first super 2 weeks before expected flow start. Check weekly during flow — add a super when the current one is 2/3 full. Harvest within 2 weeks of flow end to prevent robbing.

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Planning Around the Nectar Flow

The nectar flow is the period when major nectar sources are blooming and bees are actively foraging and producing surplus honey. Timing your management around the flow is critical for a successful harvest.

Add honey supers before the flow starts so bees have space to store nectar. A colony that runs out of space may swarm or backfill the brood nest. Check supers weekly during peak flow and add more when 2/3 full.

Nectar flow intensity is measured by the rate at which bees add weight to the hive — a hive scale shows this directly. A good flow adds 3–8 lbs per day; exceptional flows (e.g., clover or basswood) can add 10–15 lbs per day. The flow calculator estimates surplus honey based on flow intensity, duration, and number of colonies.

Timing nectar flows: flows are triggered by temperature, rainfall, and plant phenology. A bloom map or local beekeeping association records show when major flows typically start in your area. Most temperate climates have 1–3 distinct flow periods: spring (fruit trees, dandelion), early summer (clover, black locust), and sometimes a late-summer flow. Knowing flow timing helps you time super additions and varroa treatment windows.

Preparing for flow: supers should be added before the flow starts — not after bees are already congested. Congested hives swarm, splitting the forager workforce and reducing surplus. One rule: if you can see bees on 80% of the frames in the top box, add a super immediately. Checkerboarding (alternating drawn and empty frames) in the honey supers encourages bees to spread stores rather than build upward exclusively.

Dearth periods between flows: colonies may consume 15–30 lbs of stores during a 3-week summer dearth, especially if population is high and no nectar is available. Watch hive weight or inspect stores during dearths to avoid starvation even in summer. Robbing behavior (bees fighting at the entrance) signals a dearth and requires entrance reduction.