I just checked my hive (2 deep boxes, inner cover, and then empty deep on top to contain insulation) last week to see how they survived the winter - and I don't think they did. This is the first time I have lost my colony in 5 years of beekeeping and I'm really sad about it. The first time I looked, I removed the empty top super that I had insulated with a couple of batts of fibreglass, and then took off the inner cover and the entrance reducer. There were quite a few dead bees toward the top and I heard no buzzing deeper down. I left a jar of sugar syrup just in case there was some life, but because it was a cool day, I didn't go any further. Then a couple of days ago, I went back to remove the wrapping and have a closer look. It still looks pretty grim but there were about 20 or so bees flying around the hive and going in and out the upper and lower entrances. The next really warm day I'll pull the hive apart to see if there's any life inside. The frames have been in place long enough that they're nearly impossibly to pry out so I'll have to remove the upper deep box and see what's going on in the middle. Do you think there's any hope or should I just order a new bunch of bees?
I sold a full medium hive to a friend that I mentor. His bees did great for 2 years and then he told me they were dead and he moved the hive into his garage. When he told me I told him to go in and clean it out and protect the comb from the beetles and moths. He was not concerned because at the time even the inside of his garage was freezing. About a month later he took it apart and surprise surprise it had a soft ball size ball of bees in the bottom.
There is hope for you yet.
Jim
628Dirtrooster has a video on his You Tube channel about bees he thought were dead he shook out onto the ground in the sun and voila they started crawling around.....after he tore the hive down....be absolutely certain of mortality before you give up hope :-)
If you have space you should order more bees until the wife gets jealous. She can't sue you for fooling around with bees no matter how many they are.