Swarm lists by state
Alaska
Alaska beekeeping runs on a compressed season: UAF Cooperative Extension says package bees are typically installed in April or early May, and the main honey flow usually ends by mid-August. Current Alaska guidance also matters because the Alaska Division of Agriculture confirmed the state’s first small hive beetle detection in 2025.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- State beekeepers association
- Alaska Apiculture Program
- Typical swarm season
- May to July
- Africanized honey bees
- not established
Official resources in Alaska
State honey-bee page with registration, survey, pest-alert, and statute links for Alaska beekeepers.
Current state form for registering honey bees as required by Alaska law.
Land-grant guidance on Alaska-specific season timing, management, forage, and harvest.
Official Alaska alert on identification, reporting, and prevention after the 2025 detection.
Statewide association-style program and hub for Alaska beekeepers, honey producers, and events.
Key facts for Alaska
- Alaska law requires bee registration within 72 hours of acquisition and annually thereafter; the current state form cites AS 03.47.030 and 11 AAC 35.010-.020.
- UAF says Alaska package bees are usually ordered in mid-winter for April or early May delivery.
- UAF says Alaska’s honey flow usually ends around mid-August.
- Alaska’s Division of Agriculture confirmed the state’s first small hive beetle detection in 2025 in the Copper River Census Area.
- The Division’s 2025 pest alert says imported bee packages should have a health certificate signed by a qualified apiary inspector.
What to do next
- Register your colonies promptly with the Alaska Division of Agriculture and renew annually.
- Use UAF Cooperative Extension timing for Alaska: plan spring installation in April or May and expect the main flow to taper by mid-August.
- If you suspect small hive beetle, photograph it, collect specimens in alcohol, and report it to the Alaska Division of Agriculture using the pest-alert guidance.
Helpful guides
- What to do when you see a honey bee swarm
- A swarm vs. an established hive: why it matters
- Honey bees, wasps or yellowjackets? How to tell
- Bee cutout and hive removal cost