8-Frame Hive:
This colony experienced a brief brood break from October 19 to November 19, 2025, but showed no noticeable response to the January 10, 2026 cold snap. In fact, a few drones were spotted on February 8. Overall, the colony’s behavior resembles an early spring buildup more than typical winter activity.
5-Frame Hive:
In contrast, the 5-frame colony slowly responded to the January 10 cold spell with an additional brood break. It has recently begun raising internal temperatures back into the brood range of 92°F–98°F, signaling renewed brood rearing.
Understanding the BroodMinder Graph
The 5-frame hive graph includes three temperature curves:
- Raspberry curve: Temperature at the top of the lower box
- Purple curve: Temperature at the top of the second box, just beneath the inner cover.
- Red curve: Outdoor temperature from a third-party source
At present, the purple curve remains below brood-zone temperatures, indicating no brood in the upper box. Meanwhile, the raspberry curve has climbed back toward brood-range temperatures following the most recent brood break.
Understanding the Growing Degree Days (GDD) Graph
The smooth brown line represents the multi-decade average of Atlanta’s Growing Degree Day (GDD) accumulation. GDD measures accumulated heat units and can seem abstract at first.
The jagged green line shows the current 2026 GDD. Prior to January 10, it tracked above the brown average line, reflecting warmer-than-normal temperatures. After January 10, the flat section of the green line indicates temperatures below 50°F. At present, the 2026 GDD has returned to near-average levels. In my swarm-obsessed view, average GDD values suggest a typical start to the Atlanta swarm season.
What’s Next?
The outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration offers limited hope for drought relief. For Atlanta, a modest chance of warmer and drier conditions could support foraging activity. There is always a gray area between long-term climate outlooks and short-term weekly forecasts, so patience will be essential as the 2026 bee season unfolds.
February and March are likely to bring swings between unseasonably warm spells and freezing conditions. During cold, damp, overcast days with no flight activity, it can be unsettling not knowing what’s happening inside the hive. Fortunately, BroodMinder temperature loggers continue to provide valuable insight and reassurance. Stay tuned for further updates as we follow how these colonies navigate an unpredictable winter.
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