Helping Bees Brave the Cold

As the days get shorter and the flowers fade, beekeepers don’t hang up their veils and call it a year. Winter may look quiet in the apiary, but there’s plenty going on behind the scenes. Winterizing a beehive is all about helping the colony survive the cold months when nectar is scarce and temperatures can dip well below a bee’s comfort zone.

One of the first things beekeepers focus on is food. During winter, bees can’t forage, so they rely entirely on the honey they stored during the warmer months. Beekeepers check that each hive has enough reserves to last through winter and may add supplemental food, like sugar syrup in early fall or solid sugar and fondant as temperatures drop.

Another key task is reducing the hive’s space. Bees are experts at staying warm by clustering together and vibrating their wing muscles to generate heat. Too much empty space makes that job harder. Beekeepers often remove extra boxes and frames so the bees can efficiently heat their living area without wasting precious energy. Smaller, cozier homes are the way to go when winter rolls around.

Keeping the hive dry is just as important as keeping it warm. Moisture buildup inside a hive can be deadly, leading to mold or chilled bees. To prevent this, beekeepers ensure proper ventilation enough airflow to let moisture escape without creating drafts. Some even add moisture absorbing materials or slightly tilt the hive so condensation can drip out instead of raining down on the cluster.

Cold winds are another enemy, so many beekeepers add windbreaks or wrap their hives with insulation. This doesn’t mean turning the hive into a sauna; bees are surprisingly cold-hardy. The goal is to block harsh winds and reduce temperature swings, not to eliminate the cold entirely.

Winter is also a time to think about pests, especially varroa mites. These tiny parasites can weaken bees heading into winter, making survival much harder. Responsible beekeepers manage mite levels in late summer and fall so the colony goes into winter strong and healthy. A healthy hive has a much better chance of making it through to spring.

Once winter truly sets in, beekeepers mostly leave the bees alone. Opening a hive in freezing weather can do more harm than good. Instead, they might listen for a gentle hum on warmer days or check that entrances aren’t blocked by snow or ice.

By the time spring arrives, all that winter prep pays off. The hive emerges ready to grow, forage, and get back to the business of pollination and honey making. Winterizing may not be the most glamorous part of beekeeping, but it’s one of the most important and a little care and foresight can make all the difference for those hardworking bees.