Why New Zealand’s 2025/26 Honey Season Is So Tough (And What It Means for Your Honey)
If you’ve been wondering why this year’s honey just isn’t flowing like it should, you’re not alone. Across Aotearoa, beekeepers are reporting one of the most challenging New Zealand honey seasons in recent memory. Early summer showed promise, but cooler temperatures and repeated rain events stalled nectar production nationwide.
Weather Extremes Behind a Low Honey Flow
According to national climate reporting, 2025 was New Zealand’s 4th‑warmest year on record, but that warmth didn’t arrive evenly. Early summer heat gave way to an unusually cool January in many regions, reducing nectar output and limiting bee flight time.
Climate drivers also shifted toward La Niña‑like conditions, bringing more humid northeasterlies and increased rainfall across parts of the country — a pattern that produced alternating bursts of settled weather and disruptive storms.
Storms and Slips: A Double Blow for Beekeepers
This season wasn’t just about the weather changing the nectar flow — it physically prevented many beekeepers from reaching their hives. Severe mid‑January storms in the upper North Island triggered slips and road closures that delayed harvests and, in some cases, stranded equipment and hives entirely. Bees need warm, stable, dry weather to forage. Plants need the same to produce nectar. When both get disrupted, honey yields naturally drop.
Patchy Nectar Flows Across the Country
New Zealand’s extreme microclimates created a mixed bag this year.
- Some bush honeys like rewarewa performed reasonably where early heat persisted.
- Many pasture honeys, especially clover, struggled due to cooler temperatures.
- Mānuka flowering was inconsistent without long runs of warmth.
The result? Lower‑than‑average honey volumes almost everywhere.
Climate Trends Are Shaping the Future of NZ Honey
New Zealand’s climate is trending toward warmer annual averages paired with sharper swings in rainfall and temperature. Soil moisture in 2025 swung from unusually dry to suddenly saturated, disrupting flowering timing and bee foraging patterns — a critical factor shaping honey availability each year.
What This All Means for Your Honey
- Lower yields mean certain honey varieties may be harder to source this year.
- Flavours may vary based on which flowers had viable nectar windows.
- Quality remains high with careful extraction — even in challenging seasons.
Here at Gielen Family Farm Honey Extraction, we’ve felt the same pressures: delayed harvests, smaller flows, and narrow windows for extraction. When the weather cooperates, we’re ready to extract quickly to help beekeepers make the most of the conditions.
Need Honey Extracted? We Can Help.
If you’re gearing up for extraction in this unpredictable season, get in touch.