Winter is here.  One of my biggest worries is always how my bees doing.  Do they have enough food? Are the colonies large enough to survive the cold? Did I do a good job with mite control?  At this time of the year, there is not much more I can do. You can be sure that anytime during the next 2 months when the temperature goes above 50 degrees, I will be watching my hives for activity.  I want to see bees flying and I will be checking on food supplies, especially if it approaches 60 degrees. For now, in this 20-30 degree weather, I am letting well enough alone.

Now is the time for planning.  Spring will be here before I know it.  Do I have equipment that is in need of repair?  Do I have enough equipment? Am I going to add frames to a hive for comb honey and if so do I have the right wax foundation for that?  Do I want to make splits this spring or what about raising any queens? As you can see with these questions, this is the time of the year I get into trouble.  I have too much time to think about all the neat things I can do this spring and, in reality, not enough time to do everything. I have to sit myself down and have a talk.  What is realistic and what do I really need to do? I find that with most winters, it stays a little colder longer than my mind says it will and, once spring arrives, the bees are not waiting for me to do something.  Every year, I get some of this done. Repairs and getting supers ready for the spring honey flow is important. Take an inventory.

Do I need to raise queens, probably not?  Splits are a real possibility, especially if I find queen cells in a hive.  Swarm prevention and if I have a swarm am I prepared to catch it? Do I have nucs or an extra hive available for the possibility of starting a new hive if and when I may be presented with a swarm or swarm cells?  In February, the days start getting longer and your bees will start their build-up for spring. Make sure your bees still have food.  This is a critical time of the year. All this preparation can be for naught if your bees end up starving to death. We are at a lull right now; however, spring is just around the corner.

With this being said, it is also the time of the year where we prepare for our short course.  We are starting the class the first Tuesday in February. Many of you will be asked to hold a portion of the class and some of you may want to sit in on a portion of the class.  If you are a member and do sit in, you may be asked questions from our new beekeepers. Welcome them. If you are unable to answer the question they may be asking, find a member who is able to answer that question.

Admittedly, this is actually one of my favorite times of the beekeeping year.  I can make all these plans of what I am going to do this year and I get to be involved with teaching the new beekeepers.  All this stimulates me into another year of beekeeping.

I want to wish each of you a Happy New Year of Beekeeping.

-Leon Vandenberg