Happy Easter - my new package of bees died

[kwikwit]

I'm still holding out for a resurrection but it doesn't seem likely.

We had 3" of snow and the weather has been horrible. I opened up the hive today and most of the dead bees were up in the top feeder - they were piled up and looked wet. Haven't seen the queen but just a few were in the hive below. Not sure what happened - maybe a combination of the weather and the bees in the feeder pushing the floating bars down which raised the sugar water level and drowned the bees? Any input would be appreciated.

I'm not giving up. I ordered the bees from Beeweaver and they were great while alive. However, I just checked their site and packages are sold out. Not sure what to do...

[NDnewbeek]

Try:

Becky Amick
Centerville, TN
BeckyAmick@Rocketmail.com

She might have some packages still.

[honeyman46408]

Lapps in Wi. will have some 3rd week in May

[dgale]

Were you using a top feeder? Do they have syrup stored in the comb around where the brood nest would be? I don't have much luck with top feeders and with cold weather like that, my guess is they starved to death - they won't break their cluster to go get food when the temps are that cold. This is why I use a feeding jar right on top of the brood nest - this way the food is literally right on top of the cluster. I also constantly keep that jar filled up with a new package until they quit taking it - they need it to draw comb and get things rolling in there and it's easy to underestimate how much food they will need until they have the colony self-sufficient and you have adequate weather for foraging.

[tedw200]

"K" when did you get and put your bees into hive ? Was your hive new, or did you have some honey and food from last year. I got my bees march 28 and put them into the hive with food and honey from last year and it looks like I have to split them in 1 week. I'm S.W. of Chicago.