Honey Goods Happenings;
While harvesting honey and beeswax is certainly one of the rewards of keeping honey bees, it quickly becomes secondary once you truly get to know these remarkable creatures. Their greatest impact isn’t measured in jars or blocks of wax, but in the way they enhance our lives—through pollinating our gardens, supporting local ecosystems, and contributing to our overall health and well-being.
By sharing a glimpse into the day-to-day happenings at the Honey Goods LLC apiary, my hope is to deepen your understanding of the honey bee’s influence and inspire you to become a partner with nature. These small but powerful pollinators play an essential role in our world, and caring for them is both a responsibility and a privilege.
March 2026
Daylight hours are longer now and there are warmer temps in March that gave an opportunity to quickly investigate each colonies progress. I was delighted to see each colony was queen right. Only three colonies needed three boxes removed. Two of these colonies are struggling and needed extra protection from the colder weather elements. So they were moved inside the greenhouse tent. They responded well with warmer temps inside. One colony is very aggressive which I believe to be a good sign as well. So I will leave them alone and just toss a couple of handfuls of feed supplement. They will be ready to swarm when temps get warmer. So I will prepare to split the hives and combine two week hives with the splits. All Hives are consuming the supplemental feed vigorously to my delight and they are all attending to their queens.
March is proven to be very wet. I added more protection inside the hives along the walls for added moisture control.
January & February 2026
Temps are now at freezing. All of the hive boxes are wrapped and the hive entrances are closed to avoid moisture and air infiltrating the colony spaces. Only quick glances on warmer afternoons to investigate how the Honey Bees are managing their temps, their population, and supplemental feed consumption. Using a digitial thermomater gives insight how the bees are maintaing. The hive temps should be a minimum of 70d in empty spaces but the clusters should be a minimum of 80d. I will locate the dusters and sprinkle some dry feed on the bees so they can consume for energy. At this time it is not safe if the colonies are queen right. There will be a risk of damaging winter brood through lose of heat. Honey Bees generate condensation through the vibrations of their body to create heat. The top cover will be removed and replaced if condensation develops. From a quick glance I can also determine how much the population has shrunk so on the next warm day with temps above 50d I will lessen the air space by removing extra boxes and shifting the full bee frames together. This will help the bees manage temps in concentrated areas of population as opposed to spotty bee clusters.
November & December 2025
As the days grow shorter, honey bees have fewer daylight hours available for foraging, making it difficult to gather enough resources to support the hive. With reduced forage and cooler temperatures, the colony has signaled the queen to stop laying eggs for the season. Even so, the bees continue to care for her closely, clustering around her to provide warmth, nourishment, and hygiene.
While some brood may still be present inside the hive, these bees are considered “winter bees,” raised to survive the colder months rather than support rapid population growth. The colony has also begun to form a tight cluster in areas where brood frames and stored food are located, allowing them to efficiently share warmth and access resources as winter sets in.
As nighttime temperatures consistently drop below 50°F (10°C), beekeepers significantly reduce how often they open the hive. Frequent inspections at this stage can disrupt the colony’s ability to retain heat. Even so, due diligence is still important, and external observations become the primary way to assess hive health.
Although the colony may be near its peak population, the overall bee population will soon begin to decline. As older adult bees die off, winter bees emerge, and stored food is gradually consumed, empty cell spaces increases. In response, the bees begin forming a tight cluster, using their wing muscles to generate heat and maintain a core hive temperature of approximately 90–95°F (32–35°C).
This is the time when beekeepers must decide whether to wrap the hive to help keep the colony dry and insulated. Wrapping too early can trap moisture, leading to condensation from the bees’ body heat. Waiting too long, however, increases the risk of heat loss or moisture intrusion from cold, wet winter weather. Proper timing and ventilation are key to supporting colony survival through the winter months.
Bee food is now transitioned from water dense feed to dry crumbles or pollen paties. The winter food has the consistency of cookie dough. Some Beekeepers purchase the pollen patties from honey bee supply chains and some beekeepers make their own. At Honey Goods LLC we combine our own diy bee food by mixing small amounts of mushroom water, sugar, essential oils, bee pollen, with Bee Pro suplemental powder that contains all of the minerals and vitamins essential to the health of honey bees. In the afternoon during the warmest part of the day, if needed, you may see me remove the top lid and throw in a large handful of dry bee food on top of the inner cover.
Winter (Cold Weather)
Feed? Dry feed when needed added to the top cover
Why: Bees are unable to forage for food.
Best Practice: Avoid liquid feeds; minimize hive disturbance
Watch For: Signs of starvation without adding moisture to the hive
October 2025
Late Summer–Fall (Forage Decline / Varroa Mite increase)
Feed? Sometimes
Why: To help colonies build or maintain food stores before winter
Best Practice: Avoid overly water-dense feeds; assess colony strength first. Increase frequency of varroa mite treatments
Watch For: Increased pest pressure, reduced feed acceptance, signs of honey bee disease/ body fat decrease influenced by varroa mite
Although temperatures remain warm enough for bees to leave the hive, available forage is extremely limited. Few flowering plants are producing nectar or pollen, which reduces the amount of food bees can collect and return to the colony. This scarcity often leads to heightened defensiveness within the hive, making bees more reactive to disturbance.
Any hive inspection during this period should be approached with care. Wearing protective gear and using a smoker helps keep both the beekeeper and the bees calm. Winter inspections should also be kept brief and done only when necessary, since opening the hive too long allows cold air inside and can disrupt the colony’s ability to maintain warmth. As the seasons shift, this is a good time to observe more and intervene less. Pay attention to local forage conditions, plan inspections thoughtfully, and support your bees by minimizing stress as they prepare for winter.
Observing Feed Acceptance: When to Feed and When to Hold Back. Another important part of hive observation is paying attention to how bees respond to any new feed you introduce. Acceptance or rejection of feed can tell you a lot about what the colony actually needs at that moment.
When to Feed:
Supplemental feeding is most helpful when natural forage is limited and the colony lacks sufficient stored food. This often occurs during early spring buildup, after a swarm, or during extended periods of poor weather. Feed should be matched to the season and the colony’s needs, providing energy without adding excess moisture to the hive.
When Not to Feed:
Bees do not benefit from one-to-one or two-to-one sugar syrup when additional moisture is not needed. Water-dense feeds can create problems inside the hive, especially during cooler or damp conditions. Bees may store these liquids in cells but never fully fan out the moisture, leaving the feed too wet.
Feed that remains too wet can contribute to mold growth inside the hive. In many cases, bees will avoid or reject overly water-soluble food sources altogether. When this happens, the unused feed can begin to ferment, creating additional stress for the colony rather than providing nutritional support.
Careful observation helps guide feeding decisions. If bees are not actively taking feed, it’s often a signal to pause, reassess conditions, and adjust your approach.
Integrated mite management plan
Mite treatments typically increase through the month of October, as this is when varroa mite populations reach their highest levels. During this critical period, consistent management is essential to protect colony health heading into winter. You may see me at each hive weekly, treating colonies with oxalic acid (OAC) as part of an integrated mite management plan.
Oxalic acid is an organic acid that is safe for honey bees when applied correctly. It does not poison or sicken the bees, compromise stored food sources such as honey or bee bread, or damage developing pupae. One of its key benefits is that it can be applied multiple times—often every three days—when mite levels are high.
Left unmanaged, mite infestations are devastating to honey bee colonies. Varroa mites weaken bees, spread disease, and significantly reduce a colony’s ability to survive winter. In fact, uncontrolled mite pressure remains the number one reason beekeepers lose colonies during the winter months. Proactive treatment in the fall is one of the most important steps toward successful overwintering.
Oxalic acid is a naturally occurring compound found in many plants and is highly effective against Varroa mites. When applied in the hive, oxalic acid forms microscopic crystals on the mites’ mouthparts and leg joints. These crystals interfere with the mites’ ability to move and feed, ultimately causing them to starve.
This targeted mode of action makes oxalic acid a valuable tool in fall mite management, helping protect honey bee colonies without harming the bees when used according to recommended guidelines.
September 2025
September begins the harvest. Beekeepers can harvest for Honey, Beeswax, Pollen and Propolis. There is also a dearth the Honey Bee’s are experiencing. A honey bee dearth means we are in between growing seasons as the weather is extremely dry and hot and daylight is getting shorter. All of the vegetation the honey bees rely on are dry or at the end of their growth. Pollen and Nectar is infrequent right now. It is also the time Beekeepers start planning for winter survival observing how much to harvest if harvesting is an option at all.
Prior to September Honey Bees were busy foraging; bringing in as much pollen, nectar and resin. Feeding the established Queen and encouraging her to lay as many eggs as she possibly can. All of these activities increase the population, ensures the strength to protect, the ability to forage and the capacity to build out the hive with food, sealing the hive with propolis and building up the hive strength with honey comb.
Those pesky Yellow Jackets are in full force attacking the Honey Bees and trying to infiltrate the hive and consume all the protein available. A strong Honey Bee colony can defend against the Yellow Jackets or other aggressive pests. The posted honey bee guards will alert the colony and a devise attack will ensure on the yellow jacket attempting to invade. It takes several Honey Bees to deter a yellow jacket but it is worth it to the honey bees to protect their precious commodity inside.
This is also the time the mite buildup begins. As the Queen lays more eggs, the mites crawl inside each hexagon cell and lays a single egg. If the cell is sealed with a mite inside, the mite will begin feeding off the fat bodies of the larvae. Mites also defecate inside the cell introducing viruses. If the larvae develop into a honey bee they will be born sick with disease and no way to combat the sickness.
The Beekeepers role is to help protect the colonies from yellow jackets, mites and hunger; Keep the colony build up progressing.
Putting out wasp and hornet traps slightly deter the carnivorous pests from the Honey Bee colony. I personally spend an hour each day killing the yellow jackets that are attacking the colony.
Hive inspections are very important and tricky this time too. While a hive box is open, there is heat loss, an invasion of yellow jackets seeking to sneak inside, angry birds have nothing on a hungry colony. Sometimes the Honey Bees can run off the most experienced Beekeeper. We will promptly increase food supply and try again another day.
To investigate for potential mite problems the beekeeper must dive deep in to the bottom two brood boxes to investigate the Queen’s laying pattern. Is there a Queen? A queen-less hive at this time means the yellow jackets were able to invade and kill the protein rich queen. If there is a Queen, are the laying patterns solid or sporadic? If sporadic there is a mite problem and the beekeeper must solve or react with a correct remedy. Is the Queen staying in the brood boxes? If not, a Queen excluder will be placed above the boxes to keep the Queen in the brood box. Are the honey bees producing honey and bee bread? If not, there is a possibility the colony will not survive the winter. The Beekeeper will take appropriate action to improve the situation and the colony is now not a candidate for harvesting honey or beeswax and the Beekeeper will increase mite treatments. Ninety percent of mite treatments cannot be applied when honey is available to harvest. So, the Honey boxes will be removed the mite treatments will be applied. This can be problematic if the mite count is high and the colony must be treated.
Honey Bees are grumpy this time of year. They are hungry and their population buildup is highly competitive for food. Some colonies will rob each other to steal the precious food stores inside a neighboring colony. They may bump into someone too close to the hive giving a warning to back away. During a dearth all pollinators are competing for the decrease in food source. You may even witness a variety of pollinators in conflict over a food source.
Beekeepers prepare a water/ sugar/ supplemental feed for the honey bees. The feed is placed in feeders inside the hive boxes for the colony to consume and feed other bees. To support the wide array of pollinators a water trough can be used to help feed everyone. I believe a water trough brings together a community of pollinators that you can admire up close. And yes, those pesky carnivores can be thumb crushed if you are brave. I do not encourage Humming Bird feeders as it is more problematic for the humming bird than the honey bees.
We have started our honey and beeswax harvest from Colonies that are abundant in their winter stores. What you are witnessing in the five frame nuc box is the giving back to the hardworking girls to clean the beeswax. These are smaller weaker hives that the beekeeper is mindful to increase their stores and help through the winter. You can observe closely their tongues and jaws manipulating the beeswax to get the last drop of honey and even collectively chew the beeswax. The Honey Bees will bring back in to their hive to feed the colony inside or place selectively in a honeycomb cell. When the beeswax is cleaned it is collected and the process of rending beeswax begins.
