Almost through the winter

[Tyro]

Temps hit 50 today in SW North Dakota so I checked my sole surviving hive (this is my first attempt to overwinter bees). Bees are still alive. There was a softball sized diameter of bees across 5 frames - feeding on bee candy and the remains of a pollen patty, some were taking cleansing flights - essentially, all looked well.

So, with a month of winter (at least) left up here, what should I be looking out for? What unknowns can sneak up on an inexperienced beekeeper and kill the hive between now and first flow (mid-late April at the earliest) that can be prepared for?

Thanks in advance for all replies.

Mike

[mswartfager]

It's about 20 degrees in NW PA today and about 8 degrees last night.  Wish I had some good advice to pass on (my first year was last year), but my one hive froze to death I think.  We had several days in a row on multiple occasions in which it was well below freezing.  There was lots of honey, pollen, and a new/young queen in September and they didn't make it.  I guess I'll be starting all over again.  Good luck up there.