Happy January, beekeepers! Here’s another month to ask what the bees are doing in January. Let’s talk more about this, shall we?

To be honest, bee activities differ depending on the climate they are in. During the month of January, with average temperatures ranging from 16 to around 38 degree fahrenheit, some ground areas are still covered with ice. Given the climate, female bees shiver their wings to generate heat naturally and bring internal temperatures anywhere from 57 to 85 degree fahrenheit. Unfortunately, during this time, the male drone bees are also gone – long gone. This is why the hive is only composed of the queen bee and its female bees.

Additionally, bees only consume their stored honey. If the temperature is warm enough for them, they are able to move into a new honey area, as well as be able to rejoin a larger cluster if needed. There are cases that bees need to relocate away from their existing clusters because they might die from isolation.