Mixed blessings in a bee yard

[honeyshack]

okay so this yard i went to today, (ours), i thought all the bees would be dead. turns out they are not. The land the bees are on was flooded out for near a month (mid August to mid September) . 8" to 12" of water standing. We just got the honey pulled today. I know late but we did not want to make ruts in a field that was not ours. Keep in mind that we usually wrap near halloween

So the mixed blessings:

The good:
-not dead
-lots of bees in 26 of 27 hives
-healthy

The bad:
-Not alot of capped brood in some
-All and i say all hives re queened themselves at the same time, and have just started laying.
-Each hive has anywhere of 1 side of a frame of eggs and larva to 2 frames of eggs and lara. Two hives have 4 each
-late feeding so we are using rubber maid tubs to get the sugar water in PDQ as well as pail feeders.

I honestly did not want to treat. With so few brood and larva, I was worried the would die out before spring. I was willing to feed, but nothing else. I figured the feed, if the hives die could be used in other hives that are in other yards. Hubby said to feed just incase we have a real long fall and they turn out to be our best hives in the spring...here's hoping

So I hope they survive the winter, but i have my doubts.

[RayMarler]

okay so this yard i went to today, (ours), i thought all the bees would be dead. turns out they are not. The land the bees are on was flooded out for near a month (mid August to mid September) . 8" to 12" of water standing.

So I hope they survive the winter, but i have my doubts.

I hope you are as pleasantly surprised in the spring as you were this fall! :)

[MacfromNS]

What a nice surprise. I hope they do well over the winter for you.

[Brandy]

I guess my first thought was why pull all the honey. After all they went through I might have left them with enough that I wouldn't have had to feed.