The activities for beekeepers in the area will be starting up this spring, and the Door County Beekeepers Association is ready to help out.  During the winter, honey bee workers keep the queen and brood warm by creating a cluster around them.  The bees inside then feed on the honey while the worker bees insulate their sisters inside. Co-president and member Max Martin says local beekeepers are hopeful that the honeybees survived the long winter months.

Martin adds that a new package of bees can cost about $140.  Proper overwintering of the bees can make it possible to split a single hive into two.  According to Martin, a solid and honey-producing hive can house up to 70,000 bees at the end of July.  You can find more information on the Door County Beekeepers Association here.