How do you spend each season of the year? In spring, you might work in your garden. Summer brings time at the beach. Fall calls for cozy sweaters and pumpkin spice. Winter has you bundled up by the fireplace.
You may be surprised to learn that much like humans, bees change their activities according to the season. If you’re curious about how your bees spend the spring months and fall days, let’s look at what your bees do each season and how it contributes to their survival.
Spring: The Season of New Beginnings
As spring awakens your hive from its quiet winter slumber, the colony enters a period of growth. The queen begins laying eggs at an incredible pace—sometimes up to 2,000 per day. Inside the hive, nurse bees tend to the developing larvae while house bees build fresh wax comb.
Outside the hive, scout bees search for new food sources and may even look for better nesting sites if the colony feels crowded. Following their lead, worker bees venture out to collect pollen and nectar from early blooming flowers.
Summer: Peak Production Time
Summer is your bees’ busiest season. The colony reaches its maximum population, often housing 50,000 to 80,000 bees.
During these warm months, bees focus on honey production. Forager bees work from dawn to dusk, visiting flowers and bringing back resources. Back at the hive, they fan their wings to evaporate water from nectar, creating the thick, sweet honey you’ll harvest later. Meanwhile, guard bees protect the entrance and maintenance crews keep the hive clean and well-ventilated.
Fall: Preparing for the Long Haul
Fall brings preparation mode to your hive. Bees reduce their population by stopping egg production and removing drones from the colony. They cluster together more frequently to conserve heat.
Worker bees seal cracks in the hive with propolis, a sticky substance they collect from tree buds. They also create a “winter cluster” formation around the queen, ready to generate heat through muscle contractions during colder months.
Winter: Survival Through Unity
In winter, beekeepers winterize their bee hives to help their colonies survive the harsh months ahead. Your bees don’t hibernate—instead, they form a tight cluster and vibrate their flight muscles to create warmth.
The cluster moves slowly through stored honey supplies, consuming about 30 pounds of honey throughout the winter. The queen stops laying eggs, and the population drops to around 20,000 bees. They rarely leave the hive unless temperatures rise above 50°F.
Understanding What Bees Do Each Season Helps You Help Them
Your bees stay busy every season of the year! It’s thanks to these strictly maintained cycles that they’re able to provide you with sweet honey, strong colonies, and successful pollination each and every year.
Understanding what your bees do each season helps you time your inspections, plan your harvests, and provide the support your colonies need to thrive through every month.
