Autumn and Winter in the Hive
Autumn and Winter in the Hive: What Bees Are Really Up To
As we see the seasons shift in the weather and temperatures around us, deep inside the dark cavity of a beehive, much is also changing.
Through autumn, the queen begins to slow her brood production in preparation for the cooler months ahead, reducing the number of new eggs she lays each day. This results in fewer mouths to feed and aligns with the hive’s reduced need for a large workforce since there are fewer flowers to forage from during winter. Autumn becomes a time to preserve resources in the colony and reduce energy output.
This seasonal shift also signals a dramatic change in the hives population: many drones (male bees) are kicked out of the colony. Drones are naturally a drain on food reserves, and by late autumn, their primary role of mating with queens in the surrounding area is complete. They are no longer needed for the hive to survive.
The Hive in Winter
A honeybee hive does not hibernate over winter. Instead, its sole purpose becomes keeping the queen alive, fed, and warm so she can repopulate the hive in the spring.
Since honeybees are opportunistic foragers, they collect as much nectar and pollen as possible in the spring and summer, usually producing 2–3 times more honey than they need to survive the winter. This abundance allows us to harvest honey in late summer while still leaving ample for the bees, ensuring they have access to their natural food source during the winter months.
Beekeeper Responsibilities in Autumn
As beekeepers, autumn is a critical time for hive care. One of our key tasks is to treat the hives for Varroa mites, whose populations tend to surge in the fall. These parasites can be devastating to a colony if left unchecked. By treating at the right time, we give our bees the best chance of surviving the winter strong and healthy.
We also assess honey stores to make sure there’s enough food left for the bees, and we ensure the population is robust and thriving, as we know numbers will naturally dwindle over winter. The bees that survive into early spring are essential for caring for new brood when the queen begins laying again and will be the primary foragers once flowers start blooming, helping to jump-start the colony’s growth for the new season.
Winter Bees: A Unique and Vital Generation
A very special caste of bees is reared in autumn: winter bees. These are the longest-living worker bees in the hive, surviving 3–4 times longer than their summer counterparts.
Winter bee larvae are fed a diet low in pollen, which might seem like a disadvantage, but in fact, this protein-scarce diet allows them to produce vitellogenin, a remarkable substance that regulates their metabolism, boosts their immune system, and dramatically extends their lifespan.
These bees become the core workforce that regulates the hive’s temperature all winter long. They vibrate their flight muscles to generate heat, consuming stored honey to fuel this effort and keep the hive warm and stable.
Hive Hygiene and Propolis Power
Bees generally don’t fly in temperatures below 10°C. Instead, they stay clustered inside the hive, fanning and flexing their wing muscles to maintain warmth. However, when temperatures rise slightly, they’ll leave the hive for cleansing flights, defecating away from the hive to keep it clean and disease-free.
To further prepare for winter, bees bring in large amounts of propolis; a sticky, antibacterial resin collected from tree sap and flower buds. This reddish-brown substance is carried back on their hind legs, mixed with their saliva, and meticulously packed into hive crevices and spread across all internal surfaces of the hive, including frames, comb, and woodenware.
Propolis creates a hygienic, immune-boosting environment for the colony. It acts as a natural antimicrobial shield which is essential for the health of the hive through the long, enclosed winter months.
Humans, too, have long recognized the power of propolis. It has been used for centuries as a natural remedy to support the immune system and oral health.
Spring Awakens: A Slow Return to Activity
As winter comes to a close and honey stores begin to run low, the older bees die off, leaving the winter bees to carry the queen and colony through to spring.
When early spring flowers begin blooming and temperatures rise, the queen receives her natural cue to begin laying again, slowly at first. The winter bees take on one last crucial role: nursing the first round of new eggs and larvae.
Once these new season worker bees emerge as adults, they immediately become the colony’s foragers, racing to gather fresh nectar and pollen to replenish food stores. Their efforts are essential to support the queen’s egg-laying and the continued growth of the hive.
How You Can Help: Plant Early Bloomers
Early food sources are absolutely vital for bee survival. One of the best actions anyone can take to support bee populations is to plant trees and flowers that bloom in early spring,
providing that much-needed nectar and pollen when food sources are at their lowest in the hive, just when bees are waking up and rebuilding.
Great examples of early flowering trees to plant in Aotearoa, are Rata, Kowhai, Kaka beak, Magnolia, Crab apples, Banksia, Bottlebrush, and Rewarewa.
A Final Word on the Quiet Resilience of Bees
Though we may not see them buzzing much through the colder months, bees are anything but inactive. They are quietly persevering, carefully managing resources, protecting their queen, and preparing for the season ahead.
Whether you’re a beekeeper or simply someone who appreciates the magic of pollinators, there’s something deeply inspiring about the hive’s seasonal rhythms—a powerful reminder that rest, preparation, and resilience are all part of the natural cycle.
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Noelani Waters is Comvita’s Bee and Nature Advocate. She has been a beekeeper for 13 years across many areas of the apiculture industry, working as an apiary inspector, community educator, bee researcher, commercial beekeeper and queen bee breeder in her home of Hawai’i and here New Zealand since 2019. She is very passionate about sharing the importance and magic of pollinators with people of all ages to help increase advocacy and a connection to nature.