Jump to navigation

The University of Arizona Wordmark Line Logo White
Home

Search form

  • Explore
  • Locations
  • Calendar
  • Directory
  • Publications
  • Give
  • About

Bee Resources

  • Honeybee Publication Series: Author - Anne Lesenne, Assistant Agent Horticulture
    • Fall and Winter Management of Honeybees in Arizona
    • Feeding Your Bees
    • Getting Ready for Your First Hive
    • Harvesting Honey
    • Honeybee Basic Biology
    • Honeybee Pollination in Arizona
    • Inside the Colony
    • Working the Hive
  • 4-H Beekeeping Project Curriculum
  • American Beekeeping Federation 
  • Southern Arizona Beekeepers Association
  • Beekeepers Association Central Arizona
  • Project Apis m
  • Project Apis m - Training modules for first time bee keepers
  • Carl Hayden Honey Bee Research Center - Tucson, AZ

Bee Informed: Warming and Swarming

You may be noticing that wild honey bees are more noticeable foraging in your landscapes, but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been busy bee activity all winter long. If you are located in the colder regions of the U.S., wild honey bee colonies just hunker down and cuddle. They do not hibernate, and mortality can be high with older bees dying off over time. But if a wild colony has set up home in a sunny spot, protected from wind and flooding (Fig. 1), activity never stops inside the comb. Assuming the queen is healthy, and the colony has plenty of stored honey and pollen accessible to them, they will shiver their way through the winter months. Quite literally, the worker bees cluster around the queen and shiver to maintain an internal colony temperature significantly higher than the outside ambient temperature.

Read More

Publications/Articles

  • American Bee Journal 
  • Wild Honey Bees in Community Environments – Identification, Biology, and Reducing Risks
  • Pest-proofing Your Home
  • Handbook on Pests in the Desert Southwest United States
  • Youth Activity Book - Arizona Agriculture: Bee’s Amazing Adventure

Backyard Gardener - Jeff Schalau, Associate Agent, Yavapai County Cooperatvie Extension

  • Backyard Bees and Beekeeping
  • Bee Flies
  • Honey Bee's Plight
  • Orchard Mason Bees
  • Protect Pollinators and Other Beneficial Insects

Related Content

Pest Management

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
cals.arizona.edu
State Administration Office
1140 E South Campus Dr
PO Box 210036
Tucson, AZ 85721-0036
Call Us
  • Questions/Comments
  • Preguntas/Comentarios
  • Employment Opportunities
  • Volunteer Opportunities
  • Employee Resources
  • Website Log In

Legal Disclaimer | University Privacy Statement | ADA/504 Compliance

© 2023 The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of The University of Arizona.