K-wing bee?

[Ben Brewcat]

Great Xmas present for me to open the hive in 65-degree weather on Christmas day... missed the girls!

Anyway this has to be the K-wings I've heard about... this girl has outside the hive yesterday (you have to look kinda closely for the wings):

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a60/Brewcat/hivexmas05007.jpg

This was the only one I saw... the hive was packed with bees (7+ frames and heavy flights) and lots of stores and seemed very healthy otherwise. I have grease patties on. How worrisome is a single K-wing in midwinter for a newbie?

[Robert Brenchley]

It's not, you can always get the odd one with virus. I get the occasional bee with shrivelled wings, and I've learnt not to worry about it. It's when you start seeing several at once that you need to worry.