My northern friends may get a chuckle out of the title of this article, but I promise, that’s not an oxymoron! Though southern winters are subjectively easier in many ways — insulation of hives isn’t necessary, fewer honey stores are required, and of course, we usually have ample days warm enough for a quick inspection or reapplication of feed as necessary — they aren’t free from their own unique set of worries. In fact, I typically hope for a cooler than typical winter because, at least in Central Texas, warmer winters present some management challenges. This month I want to share what winter preparation and management look like for beekeepers in warmer, southern climates.
First, it’s important to note that climates that can be classified as having “warm winters” can vary widely. In my beekeeping book, I spend an entire chapter arguing for why we stop referring to seasons (spring/summer/winter/fall) when describing beekeeping management, and instead reframe the “season” with regard to the food resources available in a colony’s ecosystem. Though climate differs, the tactical aspects of beekeeping are the same everywhere, because the needs of bees are the same everywhere.
What does differ is the availability of nectar and pollen, which is a direct result of the local climate. Is the temperature amenable for flowers to bloom? Are there adequate sun, water, and soil nutrients? A flower that blooms and produces nectar in May in Texas may not bloom until July in South Dakota, or a northern ecosystem may not support that species at all.
Therefore, it’s important to share the unique features of the climate (and its effect on resource availability) of Central Texas in the context of sharing our winter management techniques and challenges. Much of Texas and the southeastern United States is what is classified as a humid subtropical climate (Figure 1): hot, muggy summers with cool, mild winters. Our coldest months in Central Texas are December-February, where low temperatures average 44°F and average highs fall around 62-65°F. We do have at least a few hard freezes, which may start as early as late November or occur well into March. Though our winters are mild, they aren’t like that of Southern Florida or Southern California, which presents an interesting (or what I would call annoying) set of circumstances. We have cold enough winters that don’t support longer foraging periods, but they are warm enough to support many days of foraging …
