As March unfolds, many of us are seeing the first real hints of spring—warmer afternoons, cleansing flights, and bees returning with bright baskets of pollen. But seasoned beekeepers know this time of year can be unpredictable. A few warm days can quickly be followed by a cold snap, and colonies are often raising brood faster than the weather allows for reliable forage.
This week’s PerfectBee Buzz explores the small but important moments that shape our beekeeping journey—from learning to spot the queen to supporting colonies through the last unpredictable weeks of winter.
Seasonal Beekeeping Tip: Beware the “False Spring”
Many regions experience what beekeepers call a false spring—a stretch of warm weather that makes it feel like winter is over, only to be followed by another cold spell.
We’re still more than a week away from the official start of spring on the calendar, but of course, the weather doesn’t read calendars.
Your bees may already be ramping up brood production. When temperatures drop again, colonies may suddenly need far more food than they did just weeks ago.
A few things to keep in mind:
• If you wrapped your hives for winter, don’t rush to remove the insulation. Cold snaps can still arrive suddenly.
• Colonies raising brood will burn through food stores quickly.
• Long stretches of rain or cold weather can prevent foraging even when flowers begin blooming.
• Consider providing emergency feed (fondant, candy boards, or dry sugar) if stores are low.
Early spring is often when colonies that survived winter can still run into trouble. A little vigilance now can make a big difference in helping them reach true spring buildup.
How can emergency and spring feeding help your bees? – PerfectBee
Ana’s Journey to Beekeeping
From Bolivia to Bees continues this week with a reflective and inspiring chapter:
Queen Spotting in the Hive: Learning to Find the Queen Bee.
Inspired by childhood games like Where’s Waldo, Ana describes how searching for the queen during hive inspections became a fun challenge—and an important skill. Along the way, she explains the differences between worker bees, drones, and queens, and why spotting the queen can reveal valuable clues about colony health.
From mistaking drones for the queen to finally discovering “Trixy” months later, Ana captures the excitement and curiosity that make the early years of beekeeping so memorable.
Her story is a reminder that every inspection brings new discoveries—and sometimes a little thrill of the hunt.
Queen Spotting in the Hive: Learning to Find the Queen Bee
Beekeeping News: Expanding Pollinator Habitat
Across North America, conservation groups, farmers, and communities are working to expand pollinator habitat to support bees and other beneficial insects.
Programs led by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and partner organizations help landowners establish native flowering plants that provide nectar and pollen throughout the growing season. In some cases, these initiatives even offer technical guidance and financial assistance to help convert land into pollinator-friendly habitat.
These efforts are important because pollinators rely on diverse forage across the landscape. As natural habitat has declined in many areas, planting native wildflowers, restoring field edges, and creating pollinator gardens can help bridge the gap.
Whether it’s a large-scale conservation project or a small patch of flowers in a backyard, every bit of habitat contributes to a healthier environment for bees.
If you’re interested in getting involved, explore the resources available through the USDA’s pollinator conservation programs or check with your local extension office or native plant society to learn what initiatives are happening in your area.
Even small efforts—like planting native wildflowers or leaving a patch of lawn to bloom—can provide valuable forage for bees and other pollinators.
Gardening for Beekeepers: Flowers that Honeybees Love – PerfectBee
As part of our ongoing efforts to improve the PerfectBee website, we’re excited to introduce our newly refreshed online storefront.
Over the past few months, we’ve been making updates across the site to make it easier for beekeepers to find the information, resources, and equipment they need. The latest step in that process is a streamlined shopping experience designed to help you quickly browse our products, explore new offerings, and find the tools that support your beekeeping journey.
Whether you’re looking for hive equipment, books, tools, or other beekeeping essentials, our updated storefront makes it easier than ever to discover what’s available.
We invite you to take a look and explore the new experience.
Thanks for being part of the PerfectBee community—and here’s to the season ahead.
Warm regards,
The PerfectBee Team
