🐝 The Beekeepers’ Newsletter

News, seasonal advice and friendly notes from your local beekeeping association

Dear Members,

Welcome to our November newsletter! As autumn gives way to winter, our apiaries become quieter, the days grow shorter, and our honey bees settle into their winter routine. Although there is less hands-on work to do in the apiary, this is still an important time for beekeepers to prepare, observe and plan for the season ahead.

So, put the kettle on, find a comfortable chair, and enjoy this month’s beekeeping notes!

🐝 November in the Apiary

By November, most colonies should be preparing for the colder months. The queen’s egg-laying will usually have slowed considerably, although this depends on the weather and local conditions. The bees will cluster together to maintain warmth and conserve their energy.

Here are a few things to keep in mind this month:

• Check food stores: Make sure colonies have sufficient accessible winter food. If emergency feeding is necessary, fondant is generally preferable in cold weather to liquid syrup.
• Keep hives secure: Check straps, roofs and hive stands to ensure everything is stable in strong winds.
• Protect against damp: Good ventilation and appropriate hive design can help prevent condensation from dripping onto the winter cluster.
• Reduce disturbance: Avoid opening hives unnecessarily. Choose a mild, calm day for essential external checks.
• Watch for pests: Keep an eye out for signs of mice entering hives and ensure entrances are appropriately reduced and protected.

Remember, every apiary is different. Consider the condition of your colonies, the local weather and the advice of experienced beekeepers in your area.

🍯 Feeding and Winter Preparation

One of the most important jobs at this time of year is ensuring that colonies have enough food to last until spring.

Bees may still consume significant quantities of stores during cold spells, and a colony can starve even when food is present if it cannot reach it. Avoid assuming that a quiet hive is necessarily a healthy hive.

If you are concerned about a colony’s food reserves, seek advice from an experienced association member or local mentor. It is far better to identify a potential problem early than to discover it when the weather improves.

🦔 Looking After Our Winter Wildlife

November is also an excellent time to think about the wider environment around our apiaries.

Where possible, leave some undisturbed areas for overwintering insects, maintain a variety of flowering plants, and consider planting winter-flowering shrubs or early spring bulbs.

Even when the garden appears dormant, plants such as mahonia, winter heather and winter-flowering honeysuckle can provide valuable forage when conditions allow bees to fly.

A little forward planning now can make a real difference to pollinators next year.

🔧 Winter Jobs for Beekeepers

With fewer inspections to carry out, winter offers an ideal opportunity to catch up on equipment and record-keeping.

Why not use the quieter months to:

• Clean and repair spare equipment.
• Check frames, boxes and roofs for damage.
• Organise and review your colony records.
• Read a beekeeping book or revisit your training notes.
• Prepare a list of equipment and supplies needed for spring.
• Attend association meetings, talks or winter workshops.

It is also a good time to reflect on the past season. What worked well? Were there any colonies that needed extra attention? What might you do differently next year?

Learning from each season is one of the most rewarding parts of keeping bees.

📚 Learning Corner: The Winter Cluster

Did you know that honey bees do not hibernate in the same way as many other insects and mammals?

Instead, they form a winter cluster within the hive. The bees generate heat through the activity of their flight muscles and adjust their positions within the cluster to help maintain a suitable temperature.

The cluster expands and contracts according to conditions, and the bees gradually move through their available stores.

This remarkable behaviour allows a colony to survive the winter, provided it has sufficient healthy bees, adequate food and a suitable hive environment.

It is another wonderful reminder of how much we can learn simply by observing and understanding our bees.

Thinking to 2027, we have our New Seasons Preparation course aimed at those going into their second year. This course is run over 3 wednesday evenings in February and will prepare you for the year ahead. It will introduce you to swarm prevention and a more in depth look at honey bee pests and. diseases. The course dates are 10/2/2027 17/2/2027 and 24/2/2027 and runs from 7;30pm till 10pm.

📅 Association News and Upcoming Events

We would love to see members keeping in touch throughout the quieter months.

Please look out for announcements about our next association meeting, winter talks, training opportunities and preparations for the coming beekeeping season.

Coming up this winter:

• Association talks and member discussions.
• Equipment maintenance and preparation sessions.
• Opportunities for new beekeepers to ask questions and seek advice.
• Planning for next year’s courses, apiary activities and events.

Our next meeting is on 26th Nov 2026 at the Sadie Centre. 7:15pm for a 7:30pm start. The agenda will be sent out by Gary Bellamy

If you have an interesting beekeeping story, a useful tip, a photograph from the past season or a subject you would like covered in a future newsletter, please get in touch. Contributions from members are always welcome.

🌼 A Thought for November

“Winter is the season when a beekeeper’s patience is tested and next year’s success begins to take shape.”

The apiary may appear quiet, but beneath those hive roofs an extraordinary colony is working to survive. Our task is to give our bees the best possible chance of reaching spring safely.

Thank you to all our members for your continued enthusiasm, support and commitment to beekeeping. Whether you have one hive in the garden or a larger apiary, every beekeeper has something valuable to share.

We wish you, your families and your colonies a safe and peaceful winter.

Until next time, happy beekeeping!

Warm wishes,

Your North Herts Beekeepers Association Committee 🐝

Please remember: Seasonal advice should be adapted to local weather, colony condition and current regional guidance. For concerns about disease or suspected notifiable pests, consult the local seasonal bee inspector or our association’s disease officer.