Winter is probably the hardest time for the beekeeper. Because he is condemned to do nothing.

Every disturbance of the hibernation leads to an increased energy conversion of the bees, and thus to higher feed consumption and more metabolism.

The mild weather tempts beekeepers to take a look, pull out some combs, check whether they still have enough food. But a look from outside must be enough.

The food supply can also be estimated by weighing the hive: A weekly weighing of the beehive with the help of a suitcase scale shows that the weight has decreased by an average of about 300g per week since mid-October. During the last 4 weeks the weight loss was about 500g per week. This is an indication that the colony is breeding again and therefore has an increased feed consumption.

Everything seems to be fine. The bees have made it through the winter well so far and can be seen outside in sunshine and at temperatures above 10°C.