I've been anxious all winter to know how our hives have been weathering the winter. So last week, my husband and I went over to see if we could see evidence of life without disturbing the hives. Generally, in wintering hive you'll see a few dead bees outside the entrance - as they "bring out their dead" (anyone catch the movie reference?). Also, you can sometimes hear a slight hum if you put your ear against the side of the hive box. Well, sadly, there were no signs of life in any of our 3 1/2 hives. Oh My Lanta!!! Not a happy thing. We assumed that the nuke (that's the 1/2 hive) wouldn't overwinter, but seriously!??! It's more than a bit discouraging.
But, after venting our frustrations a bit, we ended up ordering 1 packet of Italians and 1 packet of Carniolans. We might try moving one hive to a different location to see if there is something extra harsh with their current location. As for the batch of hives in North Ogden, only one out of three of those hives shows signs of life. I suppose that once the weather warms up, my hubby can get a better idea of what happened as he cleans out the hive-carnage. Let's just say that beekeeping isn't for the faint of heart or weak of attitude. 😜🐝
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