Marietta Daisies Garden Club
- mariettadaisies
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
"What's the Buzz"
BEE HIVE
EDUCATIONAL NEWS
from the Hive
Laura Guilmette
A year-long
educational series.
Bee news for winter 2026 in Georgia focuses on the impact of unpredictable weather on hive management and the behavioral responses of local bee populations. Beekeepers are advised to monitor hive conditions closely due to the potential for late-winter starvation and variable temperatures.
Bee Behavior in Georgia's Winter
Honey Bees: Honey bees do not hibernate. Instead, they form a tight cluster inside the hive to keep the queen and the colony warm, shivering their wing muscles to generate heat. The center of the cluster stays around 95 degrees Fahrenheit. They survive by consuming stored honey.
Other Bees: How other species, such as carpenter bees and yellow jackets, spend the winter depends on the species. Many wild bees may burrow or hide in leaf piles or hollow stems. Yellow jacket queens are typically the only survivors of the winter and will emerge in spring to start new nests, while the rest of the colony dies off.
Beekeeping Management & Concerns
Hive Monitoring: Beekeepers need to regularly check the weight of their hives, a technique
called "hefting," to ensure the bees have enough
food stores.
Emergency Feeding: If hives are light on honey, emergency feeding (using fondant or a candy board, not liquid syrup in freezing weather) may be necessary, particularly in late winter when many hives starve.
Weather Variability: Georgia's winter is influenced by a lingering La Niña pattern, which suggests "equal chances" of above- or below-normal temperatures and a risk for "rain-to-ice" transitions.
This unpredictability requires beekeepers to be adaptable, as warmer days (above 50°F) might allow for brief inspections, while sudden cold snaps demand secure, well-ventilated hives to prevent condensation buildup.
Pests and Maintenance: Winter is an ideal time to conduct hive maintenance, build new equipment, and check for pests like ants around hive stands, as overall bee activity is lower.
Conferences and Resources
Beekeepers can utilize resources like the 2026 month-by-month beekeeping calendar provided by uskeepers for task planning.
A "Bee - 2026 Virtual Winter Conference" is scheduled for March 7th, 2026, offering educational opportunities to interact with speakers.
For more local and timely advice, beekeepers should consult resources from the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences or the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Resources Division.
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