Hive treatment records
Varroa treatments, antibiotics under a VFD, mite counts, inspections and colonies bought or lost: keep one apiary record here, then print it for your state inspector or export it.
No federal law requires a hobby beekeeper to keep a treatment log, but the EPA label is the law for every mite product, VFD copies must be kept for 2 years, and many states require apiary registration. This record helps; it does not replace your state's rules or the original papers.
Hive treatment records
Printed on
Beekeeper and apiaries
The fixed details printed at the top of your records. They save as you type.
Treatments
For each treatment: product, EPA registration number or VFD, lot, dose per hive, dates in and out, and when honey supers came off and went back on. Keep VFD copies and receipts with the printout.
Add a treatment
No entries yet.
| Date applied | Date removed or finished | Product | EPA Reg. No., VFD or Rx | Dose per hive | Apiary | Hives treated | Actions |
|---|
Mite counts and inspections
Alcohol washes and sugar rolls before and after treatment, state apiary inspections and lab samples.
Add a count or inspection
No entries yet.
| Date | Type | Apiary | Hive | Result | Actions |
|---|
Colonies in and out
Packages, nucs and queens bought, colonies sold or moved, splits, swarms and dead-outs, with the certificate or permit that went with them.
Add a movement
No entries yet.
| Date | Type | Number of colonies | From | To | Certificate or permit | Actions |
|---|
How it works
What the federal rules cover
Varroa products are pesticides in the US, registered by EPA under FIFRA. EPA's advisory is clear: using an unregistered product, or a registered one in a way inconsistent with its label, is a violation, and there is no exception for personal use. The label sets the dose, the temperature range and whether honey supers must be off. Recording the EPA registration number and the lot shows exactly what went into each hive.
Antibiotics are drugs regulated by FDA. Since January 1, 2017, oxytetracycline, tylosin and lincomycin are available for bees only through a veterinarian: a veterinary feed directive (VFD) for oxytetracycline mixed in feed, a prescription for the others. FDA requires the veterinarian, the beekeeper and the distributor to keep a copy of each VFD for 2 years. Fumagilin-B, for nosema, is not covered by that rule.
What your state may add
Apiary laws are set by each state. Florida, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and California, for example, require apiaries to be registered, and Ohio requires the registration number to be posted at the apiary; Texas does not require registration. Moving or selling bees often needs an inspection certificate or a permit. USDA's ELAP program accepts state registration as proof of colony numbers, which is one more reason to keep the dead-outs in the last section. See our guide to beekeeping laws by state and, for treatment choices and thresholds, our guide to varroa mites.
Where is my data?
In your browser's local storage, on this device only. It disappears if you clear site data or switch browsers: export a JSON backup after each important entry and import it on another device. The CSV export opens in a spreadsheet, and "Print or PDF" gives a clean paper copy to save as PDF from the print dialog.
Frequently asked questions
Do beekeepers have to keep treatment records in the US?
There is no general federal rule requiring a hobby beekeeper to log varroa treatments. Two things are required: follow the EPA label of any pesticide you put in a hive, and, if a veterinarian issues a VFD for oxytetracycline, keep a copy for 2 years. States set their own apiary rules, so check with your state apiarist.
Do I need a vet to buy Terramycin for bees?
Yes. Since January 1, 2017, oxytetracycline, tylosin and lincomycin can only be used in honey bees by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian. Oxytetracycline mixed into feed needs a veterinary feed directive (VFD); tylosin and lincomycin need a prescription. Your state apiarist or extension office can help you find a bee vet.
How long do I keep a VFD?
Two years. FDA requires the veterinarian, the client (you, the beekeeper) and the distributor to keep a copy of the VFD for 2 years. The client copy can be on paper or electronic. Prescription record rules vary by state and are set by your state board of pharmacy or veterinary medicine.
What should a varroa treatment record include?
The product name and its EPA registration number, the lot number, the apiary and hives treated, the dose per hive, the dates applied and removed, and when honey supers came off and went back on. Add mite counts before and after, so you can tell whether the treatment worked.
Which varroa treatments are legal in the US?
Only products registered by EPA for use in beehives, used as the label says. EPA's list includes amitraz (Apivar), thymol (Apiguard, Api Life Var), formic acid (Formic Pro, Mite Away Quick Strips), hop beta acids (HopGuard 3) and oxalic acid (Api-Bioxal, VarroxSan, EZ-Ox), among others. Oxalic acid sold as wood bleach is not registered.
Do I have to register my beehives?
It depends on your state. There is no federal registration, but Florida, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York, among others, require apiaries to be registered, while Texas does not. Registration is also accepted by USDA's ELAP program as proof of colony numbers if you ever claim for losses.
Sources
- Using medically important antimicrobials in bees: questions and answers, US Food and Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine
- EPA-registered pesticide products approved for use against varroa mites in bee hives, US Environmental Protection Agency
- Advisory on the applicability of FIFRA and FFDCA for substances used to control varroa mites in beehives, US Environmental Protection Agency
- Disaster Assistance: Honey and Honeybee Programs (fact sheet, March 2025), USDA Farm Service Agency
- Ohio Revised Code section 909.02: Registration of apiaries, State of Ohio
- Florida Administrative Code rule 5B-54.010: Registration with the Department, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
- New year, new rule: a look at the FDA ruling on prescriptions for honey bees (December 2016), University of Florida, Entomology and Nematology
- Tools for Varroa Management, ninth edition (June 2026), Honey Bee Health Coalition
Online logbooks
Honey extraction log
A honey house log for every batch: lot code, apiary, supers pulled, moisture reading, pounds extracted and jars bottled, so any jar traces back to its hives.
Open the toolHive inspection log
Record every hive inspection: queen or eggs seen, brood pattern, stores, frames of bees, mite count and temper. Filter by hive, export to CSV and print it.
Open the tool