11/19/2025
LESSONS FROM THE BEEHIVE
Late Fall & Winter Checks ❄️🐝
I get asked this a lot:
“Should you check your colonies after the first freeze? What about November? Winter?”
And my honest answer is simple…
👉 If you don’t need to be in there… why open it?
But beekeeping — like family, like many traditions — is deeply regional. What works for me may not work for the beekeeper two counties over, much less two states north.
Here in our little corner of the world, we get cold, but we also get stretches of sunshine that let the bees fly, every month. Heck, it’s mid-November and we’re still in the 80s. So yes, I’ve been in my colonies every month — feeding, shifting equipment, pulling frames — but always gentle, always with a purpose
When someone says,
“You shouldn’t open a hive in winter!”…I believe them.
Where they live, winter is real. Bees stay grounded for months. It’s different beekeeping — not wrong, just different.
🌾 Different regions. Different winters. Different rules. Different goals. That last one many forget about it.
That’s the beauty of this craft: we each learn our land, our seasons, our rhythm, and the bees, well just like nature they too adapt to our human flaws of knowing whats best.
But one thing is universal, no matter where you hang your veil 👇
🔥 If a colony can’t reach its food stores… that colony is in danger.
Doesn’t matter if it’s -20°F or 60°F.
If they need food, we feed them — quickly and with purpose.
We don’t let them starve while we wait for a nicer day. We do our best. We show up, just like the colony does for each other.
Most years, good preparation keeps us from having to intervene… And yes, winter feeding is a real thing.
Fondant, sugar bricks, winter patties… even syrup if your weather allows.
Plenty of colonies pull through just fine.
🍯 Late Fall Checks:
• Make sure there’s enough honey to carry them
• Keep mites in check — winter bees must be strong
• Handle pests or disease before the cold shuts the door
• Shift to winter feeding if needed
❄️ Winter Checks:
• Lift the back of the hive — heavy = good, light = needs food
• Listen for that soft winter hum
• Watch for condensation — warmth means the cluster is alive
• If you must open the lid, do it quick, kind, and don't over stay your welcome.
• Save the deep inspections for spring sunshine
And personally?
I like this season of quiet.
November… December… even January… there’s a peacefulness to it.
The holidays roll in, the family gathers, the bees rest — and we rest, too.
They’ve survived many winters without fuss, and soon enough we’ll be cranking up again for spring.
❤️🍯 Here’s the truth:
Beekeeping doesn't shut down because the calendar says it winter, its just different. Check your bees when they truly need you.
Leave them alone when they don’t.
And remember: winter beekeeping isn’t a one-size-fits-all set of rules.
✨ And here’s the magic…
On those bone-still winter mornings, when the world looks asleep and everything is gray and quiet… your hive is very much alive.
They’re huddled close, sharing warmth, sharing food, caring for each other the way families do.
Waiting for the sun to return.
Waiting for spring.
So sit back.
Sip some cocoa.
Enjoy the holidays, the slow season, the people you love.
Prepare for the next chapter.
Because if a beekeeper has done their part, the bees won't be waiting on us…
—they'll be ready to soar when the season turns.
👇 YOUR TURN!
What kind of winters do you face?
Flying days… or deep freeze for months?
Drop a ❄️ or ☀️ in the comments and tell us!
