It was a warm and sunny February day, nearly 70°F. I was feeling excited; normally the temperature this time of year would be in the 30s. Three American Robins, recently returned from their wintering in the forest, were singing in the black cherry tree above me. Off to my right in the white oak, a Tufted Titmouse was singing his spring song. And to my left, in the small black locust on the hill, a Carolina Wren was scolding me for being in its space. I was delighted to see the daffodils breaking through the ground bringing their rich green color to a brown and gray landscape. My heart rose up in my chest and I felt elated, the way that a bright spring day gets into any of us. Only it wasn’t spring — technically, it was the middle of winter. My internal clock was still in winter mode and just two days ago, I had been wishing for a snow storm. Noticing everything going on outside I felt a bit off-kilter, out of balance, and even a little selfish for how much I was enjoying the warmth and the light.

Later that day I had a phone call with Julie Maynard, a nearly 20 year volunteer bird surveyor for The Cornell Lab of Ornithology Bird Atlas. She records bird sightings and activities in this part of the South Mountain region. We had a lovely discussion about birds, their patterns, and the joy of birding. We also talked about new concerns birds face due to a changing climate. Julie mentioned her husband’s honeybees, and wondered about the hardship this unseasonable temperature might pose for them, as well. I was immediately intrigued and decided I needed to meet Scott to learn more.

A week later it was 45°F and partly sunny when I went out to see the seven hives and meet their dedicated keeper, Scott Edie. Each hive was abuzz — bees taking flight to find food and and others returning with pollen and nectar — telling the story of their foraging to one of the bees at the door of the hive. These honeybees give us direct insight into how they are linked to and a part of nature. Honeybees walk a tightrope balancing the hive’s ecosystem with the ambient air temperatures, food sources available in the hive, and flowers, if any, that are blooming.

Right now it is the red maple tree that serves as the honeybees’ primary food source. The base of South Mountain has a red band across it from the flowering trees. They were blooming early again, said regional forester Dakota Durcho, from the Maryland Forest Service, “It's really been an odd winter. Things are definitely a month ahead of schedule due to the warmer weather.” It is fortunate for the bees that this food source is available now. Scott said that when outside air temperatures warm up — for the last ten years this has been happening as early as December — the bees become active. Without trees or plants to provide pollen and nectar, the honeybees have to rely on reserves they gathered in October.

Like humans, honeybees winterize their homes. They use propolis (bee glue), which they make from plant and tree resins, to control airflow, humidity, and seal crevices in the hive. The glue is so strong that it takes some force for Scott to open the chambers of the hives. But honeybees do not hibernate like other insects, Scott said. Instead, they gather in a cluster around the queen and generate their own heat source by vibrating their abdomens. While the temperature can drop well below freezing outside of the hive, the worker bees are generating warmth and keeping the core temperature of the cluster around 93°F (Zitting). The worker bees also attend to the brood — the eggs, larvae, and pupae in the combs — to generate new adult bees to replace aging bees in the hive. In very cold weather, the cluster of bees do not move along the combs but stay put, reserving energy. An extended cold period can result in death of the hive within inches of additional food reserves. Warmer temperatures result in more activity within the hive, an increase in population, and higher consumption of stored food reserves. In order to survive, bees must have access to sources of nectar and pollen to replenish their reserves.

As a beekeeper, Scott must find the balance between between intervening and letting the bees do what they need to do to keep life in the hive on course. He checks the hives regularly and keeps notes on conditions and activities in his hives. He also tracks weather conditions and the growing seasons of plants and trees. By monitoring the bees and assessing the health of the hive Scott can add food to the combs if needed.

Sitting on a bucket next to hive D with Scott, in the sunlight, watching the bees come and go, I no longer felt off-kilter. Today the bees were engaged in essential work, “housekeeping” chores. They were cleaning and repairing the hive, adjusting the airflow within the hive, making honey, and attending to the brood and queen.

I photographed nearby red maple blooms and felt a sense of ease in my body. Learning about the needs of the bees enabled me to see the world through their experience. I began to notice how, at least this year, nature was responding in a counter-balance to the winter-warming trend. The trees are keeping in step with the changes. The witch hazels are blooming now. Within a few weeks it will likely be warmer in the higher elevations, more maples will be blooming, and their red band will slowly rise up the slopes of South Mountain.

Unless you have access to a hive it isn’t likely that you will see the honeybees, but they are busy working high above our heads. Honeybees typically travel around two miles per trip while foraging for food sources. Up to as much as 10% of the hive will travel as far as nine miles searching out food sources (Beekman and Ratnieks). Scott’s bees have been making honey since January.

When you feel these warmer days, before the wildflowers and the garden plants begin to blossom, look up to see which trees are flowering. Notice the blooms of the witch hazel, black cherry, and silver and red maples, and know that they are making life possible for the next generation of honeybees.

Learn More About Honeybees

• Connect with your state’s beekeeping association:

  • In Maryland, reach out to the Maryland State Beekeeper’s Association www.mdbeekeepers.org.

  • In Pennsylvania, see the Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association www.pastatebeekeepers.org.

• The Center for Pollinator Research at Pennsylvania State University — developing and implementing approaches to improving pollinator health, conservation, and management.

• The Bee Informed Partnership — Nationwide research and data on honeybees as well as citizen science opportunities.

• 10 Ways to Save the Bees from The Bee Conservancy.

Bibliography

Zitting, James A. Honeybee Hives: Wintering Bees - Grit. https://www.grit.com/animals/honeybee-hives-wintering-bees/. Accessed 15 Mar. 2023.

Beekman, M., and F. L. W. Ratnieks. “Long-Range Foraging by the Honey-Bee, Apis Mellifera L.” Functional Ecology, vol. 14, no. 4, 2000, pp. 490–96. Wiley Online Library, https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2435.2000.00443.x.