Blog Archives

Last Week in the Apiary - 2nd Week of January 2026

1/21/2026

American Witch-hazel showing red flowers in bloom near the end of a thin branch in January 2026.

Yellow flowers of Leatherleaf Mahonia blooming in January 2026.

American witch-hazel and leatherleaf mahonia in bloom in January of 2026. Picture by Dennis vanEngelsdorp, Berwyn Heights, MD.

Time in the Yard: 0 minutes
Time in the Barn: 0 minutes
Total Colonies: 27
Hi Temp: 53°
Low Temp: 19°
Avg Temp: 36.6°
Total Precipitation: 0.95”

Actions:
No bee work done.

Observations:
Most of this week was warm enough to briefly open the inner cover or hinge open the top box to check mortality and food stores.

Reflections:
The warmer weather this week may be cause to check fondant status sooner than we were planning.

Things in bloom:
Leatherleaf Mahonia, American Witch-hazel

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Last Week in the Apiary - 1st Week of January 2026

1/12/2026

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A single hive in an apiary with leafless trees in the background. The front of the hive is busy with honey bees on the front and in flight returning and exiting the hive.

An active hive on a 61° day in January. Photo by Eric Malcolm, January 7, 2026.

Time in the Yard: 0 minutes
Time in the Barn: 5 hours 15 minutes
Total Colonies: 27
Hi Temp: 61°
Low Temp: 22°
Avg Temp: 37.86°
Total Precipitation: 0.04”

Actions:
Very briefly checked yards and replaced 2 tops that were blown off by the wind and checked entrances for activity, peaked under a few lids to check fondant consumption.In the barn; reassembled the clean and dry top feeders and stacked them in the pole barn. Cleaned two old chest freezers (broken) to make space for a replacement chest freezer. Took time to plan the first part of the season; looking at spring treatment supplies, planning splits to increase colony numbers and avoid losing swarms, and preparing for ordering queens. Cleaned up overgrowth around hives at one apiary.
Observations:
Hives were very active on the warmest day this week! The few hives that were checked have not consumed much/any fondant since it was applied on 12/19/2025.

Reflections:
Checking on the colonies and doing a little outdoor “housekeeping” on a warm day is a treat in early January! It is also refreshing to have a quiet moment to plan and prepare for the 2026 beekeeping season.

Things in bloom: Japanese Camellia, Leatherleaf Mahonia

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Last Week in the Apiary - 5th Week of December 2025

1/8/2026

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Japanese Camellia in bloom in early January 2026. Some pink blooms have started turning brown while others are just beginning to bloom.

3 Leatherleaf Mahonia plants in a garden that are all in bloom with stems of yellow flowers at various stages of bloom.

Japanese Camellia and Leatherleaf Mahonia in bloom in early winter. Photo by Dennis vanEngelsdorp, January 6, 2026.

Time in the Yard: 0 minutes
Total Colonies: 27
Avg Temp: 34.2°
Total Precipitation: 0”

Actions:
No bee work done. UMD on Winter Break.

Reflections:
This down time reminded us to plan ahead for putting new foundation in frames that need to be drawn this season. Spring will be here before we know it, and bees will be ready to draw new comb!

Things in bloom: Japanese Camellia, Leatherleaf Mahonia

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Last Week in the Apiary - 4th Week of December 2025

1/8/2026

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A close up of a pink Japanese Camellia in the winter. There is a small patch of melting snow on one of its leaves next to the bloom.

A close up image of Leatherleaf Mahonia in bloom. Flowering stems covered in yellow blooms and buds.

Pictures of the pink bloom of a Japanese Camellia and the yellow flowers of a Leatherleaf Mahonia. Photos by Dennis vanEngelsdorp, 12/16/2025

Time in the Yard: 0 minutes
Total Colonies: 27
Avg Temp: 38.35°
Total Precipitation: 0”

Actions:
No bee work done. UMD on Winter Break.

Reflections:
We are thinking about repairing equipment, assembling woodenware, ordering spring treatment supplies, and getting any other necessary equipment ordered once we return from break.

Things in bloom: Japanese Camellia, Leatherleaf Mahonia

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Last Week in the Apiary - 3rd Week of December 2025

1/8/2026

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A 50lb box of 90/10 Creme Fondant, by Golden Barrel Products.

A box of creme fondant waiting to be separated into 4lb patties to be fed to the bees! Photo by Eric Malcolm, January 6, 2026

Time in the Yard: 31 minutes
Avg Time per Colony: 2.5 minutes
Time in the Barn: 3 hours
Total Colonies: 27
Avg Temp: 32.5°
Total Precipitation: 0.41”

Actions:
Fed 4lbs of fondant to colonies (12) that had bees at or near the top of the uppermost box. In the barn; cleaned top feeders and stacked to dry and met with pest control specialists for mouse control support.

Observations:
Several colonies have consumed much of their food stores. Over half of our colonies still had ample food stores but may require feeding later.

Reflections:
Checking below the inner cover during the colder season to monitor food store status and cluster location have helped to stay on top of timely feeding.

Things in bloom: Japanese Camellia, Leatherleaf Mahonia

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Last Week in the Apiary - 2nd Week of December 2025

1/8/2026

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Image of deep and medium hive boxes, standing on their sides in pairs, with two additional boxes standing on their sides. At the point where the boxes meet the base (ground or first row of boxes) dark bits of wax can be seen left behind from mouse damage.

Wax from mouse damage can be seen around the bases of the hive boxes that were stacked after treatment pre-storage. Photo by Eric Malcolm, December 10, 2025.

Time in the Yard: 44 minutes
Avg Time per Colony: 2.5 minutes
Time in the Barn: 45 minutes
Total Colonies: 27
Avg Temp: 31°
Total Precipitation: 0.0”

Actions:
Removed top feeders from colonies (19) and applied Gorilla Tape to holes in equipment (2) to reduce draft. Emptied remaining syrup from top feeders. In the barn; cleaned up wax from mouse damaged frames and stacked boxes to prevent further damage.

Observations:
Bees were clustered tightly, and most clusters were in the lower box. A few colonies appear to have not stored as much syrup and were already towards the top of their hive. Many colonies did not finish taking in the last round of 2:1 syrup. In the barn, noticed mice had damaged comb sometime within the last 2 weeks.

Reflections:
We wish we would have stored the equipment as soon as the B402 Certan dried to avoid the mouse damage.
We will need to feed several colonies fondant before the holidays.

Things in bloom: Japanese Camellia, Leatherleaf Mahonia

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Last Week in the Apiary - 1st Week of December 2025

1/8/2026

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A small patch of white Sweet Alyssum flowers.

Photo: Sweet Alyssum, University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension

Time in the Yard: 0 minutes
Total Colonies: 27
Avg Temp: 34.07°
Total Precipitation: 0.94”

Actions:
No bee work done this week. Apiary Manager away at conference.

Reflections:
Late fall and winter are great times to invest in beekeeping education: take classes, read beekeeping books, watch presentations or videos, and attend conferences that help inform and improve our beekeeping practices at home.

Things in bloom: Sweet Alyssum

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