It's that time of year. The hives are quiet, the days are short, and every beekeeper I know is doing the same thing - peeking out the window on warmer days, hoping to see a few bees taking cleansing flights.
Some of you are feeling good. Your colonies went into winter heavy with stores, mite counts were low, and you're cautiously optimistic. Others are already dealing with losses - or that gut-twisting uncertainty of a hive that's gone silent.
Here's the thing: both of those experiences are part of beekeeping.
I've been doing this since 2018, and I've had seasons where everything clicked and seasons where I questioned what I was doing wrong. The truth is, even when you do everything right, bees are living creatures dealing with weather, mites, genetics, and a hundred variables we can't control.
What I've learned is that the beekeepers who stick with it are the ones who pay attention, ask questions, and learn from each season - the good ones and the hard ones.
That's why I'm asking for your help.
I put together a short survey to hear how your bees did this past season. How are your colonies looking? Did you deal with mite issues? Queen problems? What worked for you?
👉 Take the survey here: https://forms.gle/AaNjc4tX8V7doTFy5 (about 3 minutes)
Your answers help me in a couple of ways. First, they help me make sure the bees we're raising are performing well for you. Second, your real-world experiences help me create better content for this community - the kind of practical, honest information that actually helps.
So whether you're celebrating a strong winter so far or licking your wounds from early losses, I want to hear from you. No judgment here - just beekeepers helping beekeepers figure this out together.
Thanks for being part of the Little Apiary on the Prairie family.
Talk soon,
Darin