About Apiary Tools
Apiary Tools is a free collection of calculators and timelines designed specifically for beekeepers. Whether you're a beginner planning your first split or an experienced queen breeder managing multiple batches, our tools help you work with confidence.
Why We Built This
Beekeeping involves a lot of timing. Queen development follows a predictable schedule, but remembering exactly when to check for eggs after a split, or how many days until cells are capped, can be tricky—especially when you're managing multiple hives.
We built Apiary Tools to take the mental math out of beekeeping. Enter a date, and get a clear timeline with all the key milestones. No more flipping through books or counting on your fingers.
Our Principles
- Accuracy matters. Our timelines are based on established queen development research. We show windows, not false precision.
- Transparency builds trust. Every tool explains its assumptions. You can see exactly what numbers we're using and why.
- Simple is better. We focus on clarity and usability over flashy features. These tools should work in the bee yard on your phone.
- Free for all beekeepers. These tools are free to use. We believe in supporting the beekeeping community.
The Numbers
Our queen timing calculations use standard intervals from beekeeping literature:
- Egg stage: 3 days
- Larval stage (open): ~5.5 days
- Capped (pupa): ~8 days
- Total egg to emergence: ~16 days
- Post-emergence to mating: 5-14 days
- Mating to laying: 2-5 days
Actual timing varies with temperature, genetics, and colony conditions. Our tools provide windows rather than exact dates to account for this natural variation.
Get in Touch
Have feedback, found a bug, or want to suggest a new tool? We'd love to hear from you.
Contact us