Digital Colony Record Book: EU-Compliant at the Push of a Button
Since 2022, the colony record book is mandatory for all beekeepers in the EU. Learn what needs to be documented and how Hivekraft automates the work.
Digital Colony Record Book: EU-Compliant at the Push of a Button
Many beekeepers know the scenario: after a treatment, a quick note is scribbled on a piece of paper that then disappears somewhere in the workshop. Or the data gets entered into an Excel spreadsheet later -- if you can still remember everything. The problem: since January 28, 2022, a complete colony record book has been legally required for every beekeeper in the EU, whether a hobbyist with two colonies or a professional with three hundred.
In this lesson, we explain exactly what needs to be documented, why it's so important -- and how Hivekraft takes the work off your hands so your colony record book is always up to date and complete.
Since January 28, 2022, the colony record book under EU Regulation 2019/6 is mandatory for all beekeepers in the EU -- including hobbyists with just one colony. Violations can lead to fines during inspections.
What Does EU Regulation 2019/6 Require?
EU Regulation 2019/6 on veterinary medicinal products governs the handling of medicines for food-producing animals. Honey bees fall under this category because honey is a food product. This means: every treatment of your bees with a veterinary medicinal product must be documented without gaps.
Required Fields at a Glance
The following information must be recorded for each treatment:
- Treatment date -- When was the treatment applied?
- Treated colony -- Which colony (identification/number)?
- Product used -- Which preparation was applied?
- Batch number -- The batch of the preparation used
- Dosage -- How much was applied?
- Application method -- How was it applied (trickling, sublimation, strips, etc.)?
- Withdrawal period (days) -- How long before honey may be harvested again?
- Supplier -- Where did the preparation come from?
- Treating person -- Who carried out the treatment?
- Veterinarian and prescription number -- For prescription-only products
Many common varroa treatment products such as formic acid, lactic acid, and oxalic acid are available over the counter in many EU countries. Nevertheless, these treatments must also be fully documented. Veterinarian and prescription number are only additionally required for prescription-only products (e.g., Bayvarol, Apivar).
Five-Year Retention Requirement
EU regulation requires a retention period of at least five years. This means: if you carry out a varroa treatment in summer 2026, this entry must be available until at least summer 2031. With paper documentation, this can quickly become confusing -- with a digital solution, it's no problem.
The Problem with Paper and Excel
Many beekeepers still document their treatments on paper or in self-created spreadsheets. This works in principle but brings several disadvantages:
- Incompleteness: In the heat of the moment, it's easy to forget a required field
- Illegibility: Deciphering handwritten notes weeks later is a challenge
- Scattered data: Notes get lost, Excel files are on different devices
- No validation: Nobody checks whether all required fields are filled in
- Storage: Paper can get wet, fade, or get lost
- No export: During an inspection, everything must be painstakingly gathered
How Hivekraft Automates the Colony Record Book
Hivekraft is designed so that you maintain your colony record book without having to actively think about it. Every treatment you enter in the app is automatically added to the colony record book -- with all required fields.
Record a treatment
When you enter a new treatment, Hivekraft shows you all required fields. Fields like batch number, supplier, and withdrawal period are clearly marked. You can't forget anything because the app alerts you to missing information.
Automatic assignment
The treatment is automatically assigned to the correct colony, apiary, and time period. Hivekraft knows your colonies and where they are -- you don't have to enter this every time.
Required field validation
Before a treatment is saved, Hivekraft checks whether all legally required fields are filled in. If the batch number or withdrawal period is missing, you're notified. This keeps your colony record book always complete.
View the colony record book
In the "Colony Record Book" section, you'll find all treatments sorted chronologically, filterable by year, apiary, or colony. You can see immediately whether everything is documented without gaps.
Export when needed
With one click, you export your colony record book as PDF or CSV -- ready for the veterinary office, your beekeeping association, or your own records.
Intelligent Pre-filling
Hivekraft remembers common treatment products and their typical data. When you trickle oxalic acid for the third time, the app automatically suggests the usual values for dosage, method, and withdrawal period. You just need to confirm or adjust -- saving time and reducing errors.
PDF Export: Bilingual and Print-Ready
A special feature of Hivekraft is the bilingual PDF export. The colony record book can be exported in both German and English.
What the PDF Export Contains
The generated PDF document includes:
- Header: Beekeeper's name, operation number (if applicable), reporting period
- Treatment table: All treatments with all required fields
- Inspections: Documented checks with findings
- Feedings: Type, quantity, and date
- Page numbering: Every page is numbered and dated
- Footer: Creation date and note about digital creation
Export your colony record book at the beginning of each year for the previous year as a PDF and save it locally as well. This way you always have a backup -- even when you don't have internet access.
How to Create the PDF Export
The PDF export takes just a few steps:
- Navigate to the Colony Record Book section (via the sidebar or menu)
- Select the desired time period (e.g., year 2025)
- Click Export PDF
- Choose the language (German or English)
- The PDF is generated and can be downloaded or printed directly
The English export is particularly useful if you collaborate with international beekeeper friends or need to present your colony record book to authorities in another EU country.
CSV Export for Custom Analysis
In addition to the PDF export, Hivekraft also offers a CSV export with all 16 columns. CSV files can be opened in Excel, Google Sheets, or other spreadsheet applications and are suitable for:
- Custom analysis: Which product did I use most frequently? How has treatment frequency changed over the years?
- Association statistics: Some beekeeping associations collect anonymized treatment data from their members
- Research projects: Universities and bee research institutes occasionally analyze treatment data
- Tax purposes: Costs for treatment products can be deducted for professional beekeepers
The CSV file contains all required fields plus additional information such as apiary, colony number, and notes -- a total of 16 columns per entry.
Veterinary Office Visit: Everything Ready in 30 Seconds
Imagine the veterinary office knocks on the door (or comes to the bee yard). With Hivekraft, you're prepared:
Open the app
Open Hivekraft on your smartphone or tablet -- you don't need a computer.
Open the colony record book
One tap on "Colony Record Book" immediately shows all treatments, filtered by the current year.
Generate PDF
Click "Export PDF" and show the document directly on the screen or print it via a connected printer.
No searching through drawers, no flipping through notebooks, no "Wait, I need to find that first." Everything is there -- complete, clear, and legally compliant.
During an inspection, the office is primarily interested in: Which veterinary medicinal products were used? Were the withdrawal periods observed? Are all treatments documented without gaps? With a digital colony record book, you can answer all these questions immediately.
Common Documentation Mistakes
From practice, we know several recurring mistakes that happen with colony record keeping. Hivekraft helps avoid these:
Which Treatment Products Must Be Documented?
In principle, all veterinary medicinal products used on bees must be documented. These include:
Varroa Treatment Products (over-the-counter)
- Formic acid (e.g., MAQS, FAM, Nassenheider evaporator)
- Oxalic acid (e.g., Oxuvar, Bienenwohl, oxalic acid dihydrate)
- Lactic acid (spray treatment during broodless period)
- Thymol (e.g., Apiguard, Thymovar)
Prescription-Only Products
- Bayvarol (flumethrin strips)
- Apivar (amitraz strips)
Not Subject to Documentation
- Pure water, sugar syrup (feeding)
- Mechanical measures (drone brood removal, trapping comb method)
- Diagnostics (powdered sugar method, alcohol wash)
If you're unsure whether something needs to be documented -- enter it. Too much documentation never hurts; too little can be problematic during an inspection.
Your Colony Record Book as a Knowledge Treasure
A well-kept colony record book isn't just a legal obligation -- it's also a valuable tool for your development as a beekeeper:
- Treatment history: Which products worked best in previous years?
- Pattern recognition: Do certain problems always occur at the same time of year?
- Comparison: How do treatments differ between apiaries?
- Learning: How has your treatment approach evolved over the years?
Hivekraft makes these analyses particularly easy because all data is structured and searchable.
Checklist: Keeping the Colony Record Book Correctly
Colony Record Book Checklist
Knowledge Check
Since when has the colony record book been mandatory for all beekeepers in the EU?
How long must colony record book entries be retained?
Which field is most commonly forgotten when keeping the colony record book?
In the next lesson, you'll learn how the AI daily briefing works: how Hivekraft analyzes weather, colony condition, and season to give you personalized recommendations every day.