So it looks like my one hive isn't dead after all. It was about 60 day before yesterday, and I had bees coming and going. Today it was around 50 and bees were again going in and out. I didn't want to do an inspection yet, but I put a pollen patty on. I don't think it is other bees cleaning out the remnants of honey - they didn't seem as frantic as bees raiding a dead out that I observed last Spring, and I saw a few bees bringing in pollen (where do they FIND this stuff?!!, not even maples are blooming here!). I think that pretty much is a lock that it is not just raiders? I don't think bees going out to rob would carry pollen with them!
JC
:) They can fool you in good ways sometimes too!!