BeezKnees

A Year in the Apiary - January Beekeeping Tasks (UK)

In the UK, January is one of the quietest months in the apiary – but it still plays a crucial role in your year-round beekeeping. The bees are clustered, brood is often limited and the weather can be unforgiving. Rather than full inspections, the focus shifts to keeping colonies secure, well-fed and as stress-free as possible, while you prepare equipment and plans for the season ahead.

This page is part of the BeezKnees Year in the Apiary – monthly beekeeping calendar. It summarises what your bees are doing in January, practical weather-based guidance, a checklist of key jobs and ways to support your colonies until spring inspections begin.

January at a Glance – What Matters Most

Bee Behaviour

  • Clustered on remaining stores
  • Little or no foraging except on mild days
  • Brood area small or temporarily broodless

Key Jobs for the Beekeeper

  • Heft hives and add fondant if needed
  • Check roofs, straps and stands after storms
  • Complete winter varroa treatment (if due)

What to Avoid

  • Full inspections or removing frames
  • Leaving roofs unsecured in high winds
  • Starvation through lack of monitoring

What Your Bees Are Doing in January

Beekeeper checking winter hive stands and entrances in the apiary

Inside the hive, bees form a tight cluster around any remaining stores and, where present, a small patch of brood. They generate heat by vibrating their flight muscles, gradually consuming honey or syrup. On still, sunny days above flying temperature, you may see cleansing flights – short trips to defecate away from the hive.

A healthy colony at this time of year usually appears calm from the outside: occasional flights on mild days, a steady background hum when you listen at the entrance and no unusual debris on the landing board. If a hive is silent, very light when hefted or shows signs of disturbance, it may need closer attention.

Tip: Make a habit of standing quietly beside each hive for a minute. Listening and observing from the outside is one of the most valuable skills in winter beekeeping.

January Weather and Hive Checks

January weather in the UK is typically cold, damp and unsettled. Strong winds, heavy rain and overnight frosts are more of a threat than deep snow for many beekeepers. Rather than routine inspections, most of your work is about ensuring hives remain safe and weatherproof.

Weather-based guidance:
  • After gales – check roofs, straps and stands for movement.
  • After prolonged rain – ensure water is not pooling around hive stands.
  • After snow or frost – make sure entrances are clear of ice, dead bees or vegetation.

A quick visual check from the outside, combined with a gentle heft from the back or side, tells you most of what you need to know in January. Save full inspections for spring, when temperatures are consistently suitable – see the main hive management guide for inspection temperatures and techniques.

January Beekeeping Checklist – UK Monthly Tasks

You can find more on inspections, feeding and seasonal maintenance in the hive management and hygiene guides.

Feeding Bees in January – Fondant and Food Reserves

Ensuring that bees have sufficient food reserves is one of the most important winter tasks. Colonies rely on stored honey or syrup to fuel the cluster and maintain brood when the queen resumes laying. A strong colony can consume several kilograms of stores over the month, especially towards the end of winter.

How to judge food levels:
  • Heft the hive from the back or side and compare with earlier in winter.
  • If it feels noticeably lighter, consider adding a block of fondant above the cluster – often under an upturned feeder or eke.
  • Re-check at intervals during cold spells. It is easier to prevent starvation than to rescue a starving colony.

For a deeper look at feeding options and how they fit into the season, see the hive management guide.

Varroa and Disease Management in January

January is often a broodless or low-brood period, which can make certain varroa treatments more effective. Many UK beekeepers use this window for an oxalic acid-based treatment, following current guidance and manufacturer instructions. With fewer capped cells, more mites are exposed on adult bees.

Important safety reminders:
  • Only use approved products and follow label instructions carefully.
  • Do not treat honey supers intended for human consumption.
  • Record the date and product used in your hive notes so you can track treatment history.

Keep an eye out for signs of disease such as unusual smells, dead bees around the entrance or suspect brood once inspections resume. The diseases and pests overview, varroa management and hygiene guide explain these topics in more detail.

Equipment Preparation, DIY Jobs and Planning Ahead

January is a natural time to move some of your beekeeping indoors. Many of the jobs that save time in spring can be tackled now, when the apiary itself needs only quick external checks.

For ideas on tools and set-up, explore the equipment and tools guide.

Record Keeping – Using Notes and HiveTag in January

Good records turn winter checks into useful information. Notes from the previous season on colony strength, temperament, disease history and feeding make it much easier to judge winter risks and decide which colonies need extra care.

Helpful things to record:
  • How heavy each hive feels when you heft it in January.
  • When you added fondant and roughly how much was taken.
  • Dates and products used for varroa treatments, and any issues you noticed.
  • Weather events that may affect hives – storms, prolonged rain or cold snaps.

Some beekeepers are happy with a notebook in the bee shed; others prefer a more structured approach. Digital tools such as the HiveTag web app make it easier to log inspections, feeding, treatments and hive locations so that patterns become clearer over time across your whole apiary.

Learning, Educational Events and Winter Reading

January is also a good time to invest in your own knowledge. With less hands-on work in the apiary, you can use the quieter weeks to strengthen your beekeeping skills and plan the year ahead.

Time spent learning in January often pays off later in the year, when decisions about swarm control, supers and disease management need to be made quickly and confidently.

Pests and Wildlife to Watch For in January

Most flying pests are quiet in mid-winter, but there are still a few things to keep an eye on:

More detail on pests and predators is available in the bee pests guide.

Garden and Forage – Supporting Bees in January

There are fewer natural food sources in January, but you can still plan and plant with bees in mind. Winter-flowering heather, mahonia, hellebores, crocus and winter-flowering honeysuckle can all provide valuable nectar and pollen during milder spells.

Winter planting ideas:
  • Plant clumps of early crocus and snowdrops near the apiary.
  • Add winter-flowering shrubs such as mahonia to provide nectar in cold months.
  • Plan a succession of flowering plants to support pollinators all year.

See the bee gardening guide and Help the Bees for more ideas on creating wildlife-friendly spaces.

Emergency Scenarios – When Things Go Wrong in January

If you suspect starvation:
  • Heft is very light, or you see bees head-first in cells.
  • Act immediately – add fondant directly over the cluster.
  • Avoid prolonged opening of the hive; work quickly and gently.

If a colony has died out, try to understand why. Check for obvious disease, high varroa levels or signs of queen failure, then close the hive to prevent robbing until you can decide how to handle the remaining combs. The bee diseases and pests section and bee stings and safety page both include advice on working safely and knowing when to seek further guidance.

January Beekeeping FAQ – UK Beekeepers

Do I ever need to open the hive in January?

Usually, no. Most checks in January can be done from the outside – listening, watching for flights, checking entrances and hefting. Only consider briefly lifting the crownboard if you have a specific reason and the weather is mild and calm.

Is syrup or fondant better for winter feeding?

In mid-winter, fondant is generally preferred because bees can eat it without having to process water, which would create unnecessary moisture and effort. Syrup is more suitable for autumn feeding when temperatures are higher.

Can I move hives in January?

Unless absolutely necessary, avoid moving hives in winter. If you must move them, do so on a cold day when bees are tightly clustered and keep the move short and gentle to minimise disturbance.

How does January fit into swarm control planning?

Swarm control itself does not start until spring, but January is the time to make sure you have spare equipment, extra frames and a clear plan for how you will manage strong colonies once the season begins. See the hive management guide for swarm control methods.

Should I worry if I do not see bees flying for several weeks?

Not necessarily. In cold, wet or windy weather, colonies may remain inside for long periods. The key checks are hive weight, security and signs of life when you listen close to the entrance.


Use this January guide alongside the rest of the Year in the Apiary calendar to build a clear, weather-aware routine for your bees throughout the year.