Wellington in New Zealand is situated at the bottom of the North Island. Our winter weather mostly consists of wind and rain temperatures dominated by cold southerlies and warmer northwest winds. Average 173 days with gusts over 60 mph (up to 120 at times which will down trees and lift the odd house roof). 100 kl further north it’s more sheltered.
Temperatures around 6C but can get down to -1 on a few days.
(I beekeep in east/ west valleys which are more sheltered).
Bees are able to flying during the winter on warm days for an hour or two as there is generally something flowering. (Some native trees flower during the winter plus a lot of introduced species).
Most hive contain one to two frames of brood through the winter along the coast which makes mite treating a problem. We get colonies collapsing during May - June and have to retreat otherwise they are dead.
I’m old school leaving the bees with a full depth of honey and some in the bottom supper as well. Some three high with extra stores on hand if required.
A lot of commercial beekeepers winter in singles and feed before winter and early in the spring building up to a Christmas honey flow. (Cheaper mite control).
My two and three high hives are ready to swarm early October but are also ready for the first bush flow or can be split for the December main flow.
Hives numbers are rapidly decreasing in NZ following the manuka gold rush. Now down to 700.000 from a high of 900.000 in 2018. Expect the numbers to drop another 100.000 this year due to stockpiles of unsold honey. Prices for honey have halved but costs for everything are up 30%. Diesel in now dearer than petrol.
Hopefully hive numbers will stabilise around 500.000 in three to five years making beekeeping sustainable again.
For the last three springs we have had La Nina weather conditions . Cooler weather with rain three to four days a week with only one really good sunny day. The weather comes right and dried out at Christmas in time for we hope a good honey flow.
Frank Lindsay
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