After a long cold Winter the initial significant source of pollen and nectar is that of the Silver and Red Maples. It is short lived but definitely something the honey bees (and myself) look forward to. It signals the beginnings of a new beekeeping season as the honey bees begin to come alive again. The tree tops are visited by so many honey bees the air fills with the gentle yet loud roar of the rapid wing beats of the almost invisible honey bees high overhead.

March with its ides and St Patrick’s day mark the seasonal transition from Winter to Spring. Warmer temperatures tease us to think Winter is over when in truth Old Man Winter still hangs on. Spring’s desire to claim its reign showers us with winds and rain while Winter mixes it up with snow. This tug of war between the two presents a challenge to the honey bee colony. Food stored back in October needs to be handily available until the trees and flowers can offer a steady diet of energy for brood rearing. The beekeeper teeters on the brink of concern versus sheer delight from the first signs of pollen and nectar collecting.