Winter Cluster - Bees

[rail]

Is this the time of year when the winter cluster (bees) start to die off as new brood emerges? I am noticing there are more dead bees on the bottom board in the past several days...

[bmat555]

Bees die everday. One of my strongest hives has a pile of dead bees if front of it that is probably a couple quarts of bees. I just make sure the entrance is open and let the girls clean their own house. I would make sure they have stores and start feeding if you are not and are still concerned. John

[rail]

Through the winter the bottom board (screened) has had only 5 to 10 bees on it through the weeks and cleaned on warm days. Now there are more bees covering the bottom board; they have stores, queen is laying well, hive is very active. Is this increase of dead bees the winter cluster? Winter bees live longer??