found my 1st dead-out for this winter. sent the bees to the U.S.D.A. the report actually looked pretty good. 0-nosema count, 0-tracheal mite count, & 2.7 mites per 100 bees. you never really know for sure but I'm guessing they starved.
I can't get to my hives to check. They're in a field with almost 4 feet of snow surrounding them. The hive stand is a foot tall and the hives are two deeps and a medium. All I can see is 1/2 the medium of both hives sticking out of the snow.
Hopefully this first deadout is your last one for the year.
February seems to be the month to get thru. I've got candy on the rest.
Ive lost 2 of 7, lost them early. Mites. The others were all doing well though a couple were smallish. Using candy, now this brutal cold snap. Hope they didn't spread themselves to thin brooding after a pleasant week last week. G
I lost one early. It was weak to begin with so it came as no surprise. Have another one that is weak, but seems to be hanging in there. I'll be feeding it a lot between now and when maples start to bloom. My third hive is going strong and I believe it's going to need to be split in a month or so when spring really kicks in. Having an unusually warm winter has made a difference in the bee yard this year, but it's not the norm so I'll be really building up as much as possible before next fall.