Bad Attitude Bees

North Carolina winters are unpredictable, and honey bees feel every swing. One week it’s freezing, the next it feels like spring. Bees survive the chaos by forming a winter cluster—a tight, heat-saving huddle that protects the queen and keeps the hive alive. When it comes to winter, the cluster comes first, and understanding why makes all the difference.

The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year—but for honey bees, it signals something deeper. As daylight stops shrinking, colonies shift from winter survival to early preparation for spring. Inside the hive, brood nests warm, queens begin laying again, and honey stores are put to work long before the first flowers bloom.