The return of warmer weather with Spring marks the ideal time for bees to start a new colony and, therefore, a wonderful time to start your beekeeping hobby. Installing bees in the milder Spring weather allows them to build comb, rear brood, and collect resources in the best conditions.
Perhaps most importantly, starting a new hive too late in the year may not allow the colony sufficient time to build up sufficient resources to survive the colder months (see “Do bees hibernate?“)
If you live in a warmer climate, beekeeping can potentially be started as early as late winter, but most package bee or nucleus colony suppliers don’t start delivery or pickups until the spring months (see “Where can I obtain bees for my beehive?“).
No matter your region, keeping an eye on the temperatures and the plants blooming in your area can give you an idea of when you’ll be getting started.
It’s important to keep in mind that beekeeping requires planning well ahead of you installing your bees and starting beekeeping. Ensure you start thinking about ordering and setting up the equipment and sourcing bees long before you hope to start beekeeping, as early as December or January.
