Seasons of the Honey Bee
Honey bee activities revolve around the seasons of the year. The timing of these activities is most clearly seen in climates with distinct seasons, including several months of cold weather. They are modified where the winters are warmer and the seasons less pronounced.
Spring through Fall
From spring through fall, honey bees gather nectar which they store and cure into honey - the honey they will live on during the cold months of winter. They also collect and store pollen, which is the major source of protein and other nutrients for bees.
Winter
Bees do not hibernate, but stay active to some degree all winter, living on the honey they stored during the past year. If that store of honey doesn't last, they will starve.In late winter, the queen begins laying eggs to build up the hive population, in anticipation of the spring "honey flow." At that time, the honey bee workers try to maintain a constant temperature around the brood area where the eggs are laid, and they do a very good job of it. The temperature stays close to 94 degrees F!
Honey Flows
Honey flows, also - and more accurately - called nectar flows, are times when a large number of plants are in bloom. Depending on the location, there will be one or more honey flows. Generally there is at least one major honey flow in early spring and one later in the summer.Beekeeping Tasks
Beekeepers need to perform seasonal tasks in parallel with the activies of the bee colony. See Seasonal Tasks for the Top Bar Hive Beekeeper.