Tag Archives: austin

With all the crazy winter weather around the country, I thought a post on how bees handle the cold weather would be appropriate. A good beekeeper will always leave enough honey in the hive to see the bees through the winter months when nothing is in bloom. The bees will mass together over the comb honey in a large ball with the queen at the center. By flexing their wings they can maintain the temperature in the hive so they will not freeze.

An interesting fact is that bees will not “go poopie in the potty” while in the hive. They will wait for a break in the cold weather to take a cleansing flight as well as remove any dead bees from the hive.

I visited the bee-friendly South Austin site today to find the best spot for the hive. Bees are pretty adaptable when it comes to location, but ideally you want to find a spot where the hive entrance gets early morning sun to warm the hive, but have some protection in the afternoon especially when the Texas summer is in full swing. However, I know of some beekeepers who keep their hives on their roofs even in Texas so they can handle the heat.

We found a great location near the edge of the property line so as not to disrupt the use of the rest of the backyard near an established live oak. The oak will provide shade in the afternoon, but the location will hopefully get the early morning sun. Although not required for your site, my hive will have the benefit of two chicken neighbors (named Chicken and Ostrich) who will offer their encouragement and support in South Austin solidarity.

The next step is clearing the brush and vegetation, leveling the area and building a small 3′ x 3′ pad of decomposed granite for the hive to rest on. Austin’s winter this year has been pretty cold which has made working outdoors difficult. As of right now, next weekend is supposed to be sunny and in the upper 60’s, and I’m looking forward to a break in the freezing temperatures we’ve had so far.