Both of Loreto’s beehives have entered winter with ample honey stores. Honeybees are industrious creatures that tend to overproduce. The honey we harvested and sold this year was due to their overproduction.  Now that the temperature has dropped below approximately 12°C, the bees will have formed what is known as a winter cluster. In this state, all the bees in the colony cluster together to keep themselves and the queen warm during the winter months.

The hive maintains a temperature of about 35°C, and to achieve this in the winter, the bees continuously flex their flight muscles to generate warmth. Given the cold weather and limited foraging opportunities, the bees typically remain in the hive throughout the winter, only briefly venturing out on warmer days to remove waste.

In the event of particularly harsh weather, if the bees deplete their honey stores before spring arrives, we ensure their survival by providing food as a fondant, essentially royal icing without any additives.

The Woodland Trust have loads of interesting information about bees and how to identify the different species on their website.

There are simple ways to support other wildlife in your local area and help them thrive. If you come across piles of leaves, and it’s practical to leave them as they are, do so.  They are a great source of nutrients and vital for nesting pollinators who rely on them for shelter during winter. If you accidentally uncover a queen bumblebee seeking shelter under a leaf pile, follow the advice from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust on what to do.