Newsletter January:

Happy New Year!

Dear bee friends,

I rarely feel as tense when opening the bee colonies as I do now in winter. I also ask myself every year - 

“and how are the bees doing?”

I last checked in October to see if the bees had enough food supplies for the winter. Since we've had some very cold nights since then and the colonies are no longer nursing any brood, it's time for the winter varroa treatment.

Even though I have already bought queens from the Tolerance Breeding Consortium and hope that I will no longer have to treat against Varroa mites in the future, I am still supporting the bees with residual mite removal. I have oxalic acid available in my organic beekeeping for this purpose. If I drizzle this mixed with sugar syrup over the bee cluster in winter, the varroa mites fall off the bees and the colony can start the new year in the best possible way.

On a slightly warmer day I dripped oxalic acid with sugar syrup over the bee cluster to treat the varroa

Most of my colonies have had a good start to the winter. My winter losses are currently below 10% and are partly due to predation by wasps in the fall.

A large wasp nest in a pear tree in the garden

Some colonies are a little weaker than average, but I think strong enough to survive a normal winter. Now I won't disturb them again until mid-February. But then I have to make sure that there is enough food for the brood in spring.

I am confident that there will be enough bees and honey for the employees and friends of my bee sponsor companies Astopark, Spheros, OHB-digital and gwt in 2025. There will also be enough for the honey lovers from the Wörthsee Golf Club, the Holländer nursery and my favorite Italian restaurant Domenico from Il Plonner and for all my friends.

In front of the OHB digital bee colony
The bee colony of the Spheros company
One of the bee colonies of the Asto Business Group, before varroa treatment

I made new friends at the Christmas market in Grünsink. I shared a market stall with the carers from the “Bunter Hund” workshop in Oberpfaffenhofen. 

Honey, beeswax candles and propolis at the Christmas market in Grünsink

A wonderful team takes care of adults who need support on their way to a regular working life. They would also appreciate our support!

In any case, the colorful dog is now always with me as a friend.

The colorful dog is the name and logo of the creative workshop for people with mental disabilities in Oberpfaffenhofen

Further information can be found at werkstattbunterhund.de

Many thanks to all bee sponsors and partners for their support and all the best, especially health, happiness and confidence for the new year 2025!