As temperatures begin to rise, our honeybees are starting to wake and return to activity after the winter months. 

Springtime is when the colony begins to shift from conserving energy to rebuilding strength for summer. Unlike bumblebees or other varieties of solitary bees, only a small cluster of honeybees remains active inside the hives during winter. 

They huddle tightly around the queen to keep her warm, generating heat by vibrating their bodies. As a result, the queen releases pheromones that help keep the colony calm, while the beekeepers monitor the hives and add insulation during cold spells. And as late winter approaches, the queen starts to lay the first new worker bees in time for spring.

When daytime temperatures rise to around ten degrees Celsius, the bees begin to venture outside in search of early nectar and pollen. The first blossoms of the season, such as dandelions and fruit trees, provide important food that helps the colony rebuild its energy reserves and supports the queen as she increases her egg laying.

As spring develops, the first workers take on more foraging trips and begin raising new drones as the population grows. Through summer, the workers collect nectar and pollen, make honey and build up the hive’s stores.

By May, if the weather is mild, our beekeepers can carry out the first full inspections of the year on all nine of our hives. They check the health of the queen, look for signs of disease and ensure the hive has enough food to support early growth. Natural nectar can still be limited at this stage, so every warm day helps.

Our second batch of organic honey will be harvested in late summer and sold to employees, with the proceeds going towards our charity partners. We’re looking forward to checking in on our busy little bees soon!