JANUARY HIVE UPDATE

January 10th Inspection

🐝🌿 Hive Update

We completed a hive inspection on January 10th and were happy to see steady activity despite the cooler weather.

The hive is continuing to hang on and show resilience during this slower season. The bees are conserving energy, maintaining their cluster, and doing exactly what nature designed them to do.

Winter inspections are less about intervention and more about observation—checking food stores, hive health, and overall stability as we move toward spring.

🌼 What’s Coming Next:

As temperatures gradually warm, we’ll be monitoring brood activity and preparing for early spring support to ensure the colony stays strong and ready for growth.

Stewardship means caring through every season—not just when it’s easy.

Thank you for following along and supporting pollinator protection with V’s Beez Inc.

Regular inspections allow us to track:

Population strength

Food stores

Pest pressure

Overall colony stability

So far, the hives are holding steady and showing resilience through the slower winter season.

January 10th Inspection Recap

During our January 10th inspection, the hive was stable and functioning as expected for this time of year. Winter inspections are focused less on intervention and more on confirmation—ensuring the colony has what it needs to carry itself forward into spring.

Looking Ahead: Bee Yard Inspection – January 31st We plan to inspect the bee yard again. By this point, we expect to see drones or capped drone cells, signaling the colony’s early preparation for the reproductive season.

Drones typically take 10–14 days after emergence to reach sexual maturity, which factors heavily into swarm and queen-rearing considerations.

At this inspection, we will be watching for two main scenarios:

Scenario 1: Drones Present, No Queen Cells

If drones are present but no queen cells are being formed, the colony is likely stable and not yet preparing to swarm. In this case, we have approximately 10–12 days before swarm pressure becomes a concern, allowing time for continued monitoring and planning.

Scenario 2: Drones Present, Active Queen Cells

If drones are present and queen cells containing larvae or pupae are found, the colony has begun active swarm preparation. At that point, several management paths are available.

Possible Management Paths if Queen Cells Are Present

Option 1: Destroy Queen Cells

After confirming the original queen is still present, queen cells could be removed. This method only temporarily delays swarming and is not a long-term solution on its own.

Option 2: Create Splits to Increase Hive Count

The old queen can be moved with a portion of workers, a frame of brood, and a frame of honey to form a new colony. This reduces swarm pressure while increasing the overall hive count and supporting sustainable growth.

Option 3: Create Nucleus Colonies (Nucs)

Similar splits can be placed into nuc boxes with the intent to requeen using fresh queens. Once established, these nucs may be used for future expansion or offered for sale to support conservation efforts and education programs.

Stewardship in Practice

Each decision balances bee biology, environmental conditions, and long-term sustainability. Our goal is not maximum production—but healthy, resilient colonies that can thrive season after season.

Stewardship means responding to what the bees are telling us, respecting their natural cycles, and making informed choices that benefit both pollinators and the communities they support.

Supporting Stewardship: How Sponsors Stay Connected

Sponsors help make ongoing hive care, education, and conservation possible.

At V’s Beez Inc., transparency and education are core to our mission. Sponsors play a direct role in supporting pollinator health—and we believe they should be able to see that impact firsthand.

Seasonal hive inspections

Population and brood progress

Pest monitoring and treatment efforts

Swarm prevention and growth planning

Photos and educational explanations

This approach allows sponsors to stay informed, learn alongside us, and witness stewardship in action throughout the year.

By becoming a sponsor, you’re not just supporting a nonprofit—you’re partnering in the care of living systems that support food, ecosystems, and future generations.

Individuals and organizations who choose to support V’s Beez may receive periodic, individualized hive updates, offering a closer look at the colonies their sponsorship helps sustain. These updates can include:Seasonal hive inspections

• Population and brood progress

• Pest monitoring and treatment efforts

• Swarm prevention and growth planning

• Photos and educational explanations

This approach allows sponsors to stay informed, learn alongside us, and witness stewardship in action throughout the year.

By becoming a sponsor, you’re not just supporting a nonprofit—you’re partnering in the care of living systems that support food, ecosystems, and future generations.

🌼 If you’re interested in learning more about sponsorship opportunities or receiving hive updates, we invite you to reach out.