Got my package in February 28 2013, check my hive today not good. Please help.

[vancity]

Hi,
I had a same situation. I had a live queen but a cup full of bees left. I started feeding them in to the hive with nectar gold and natural dried cane juice instead of processed sugar. The hive is now doing incredibly. Once they have a good supply of food, they can generate heat and survive. Hope you can save them. Good Luck.

Thanks!

[vancity]

Pussy willow blooms will begin or should've have already begun, next we'll be early cherries (we've got at least 50 trees in the surrounding 500sq meters). Blooms we'll be plentiful in a weeks time (some early tulips have bloomed as well). I guess I won't be adjusting the temperature then.

[Delta Bay]

If you can adjust the temp 15 to 18C is plenty warm enough. The bees will regulate the inner cluster to the temp they want. You should also have a peek every 2 to 3 days on their syrup supply. You don't want them to run out at any time until about dandelion bloom around the first half of April. If the weather allows for steady foraging there should be plenty to gather after that.

[vancity]

Update for today, checked on the syrup and they've taken 500mL and about 200mL is remaining, I'll change it out tomorrow. They haven't eaten the pollen patty much. Also on another note I was roasting some coffee by the hive at 8pm and 20-30 bees came out of the hive, any idea why? other than that I'll be doing a much more thorough inspection on Friday (Sunny day) and I'll report back.

[Saltybee]

Pretty amazing how cold bees can look so dead and revive with heat.
Hard to do, but the longer you can leave them alone the better. You will only be looking for eggs, and not seeing any until 2 weeks is not a problem, though some queens will lay on the first bits of comb.
The question is when will knowing or not knowing if the queen is laying change your management plan?
If the comb is not straight will you straighten or wait for better weather? Not really a right or wrong answer, just a timing question.