[LarryBud]

Althea-you may be getting the first pollen from Skunk Cabbage in the wetlands, that's usually the first up here in February. I'm 300 miles or so north and I doubt we'll see much activity anytime soon after a brief warm up last week. We just got 7" of snow yesterday on top of the 20" last week and the forecast for the next two weeks has us barely hitting above freezing as highs.

 

[LarryBud]

I'm looking out the window at my hives and there appears to be a handful of dead bees in the fresh snow. When we had a short warm up last week after the last snow, they were out con cleansing flights but it looked like several hundred dead in the then fresh snow. I am insulated with 1" pink foam panels, a 4" vented quilt box and a 1" foam panel over the quilt box. Am I keeping the inside temps artificially high and stimulating the cluster to shed some bees or something else. The quick inspection last week during the warm up last week showed plenty of stores and population. Are they just thinning out the herd? Last OAV was Jan 17th. but I'm not convinced they're broodless.

 

[username00101]

The dead bees in the snow = healthy normal colony.

 

[LAlldredge]

50 degrees sunny and all the flying kids are out prior to our snow storm (8-12 expected). Opened the stacks, refreshed slurry, dry pollen and spritzed their sponges. Put out paper grocery bag with dry pollen in it. Cut a big U in the top for access. Put plate of warmish water with more sponges outside of hives. Sponges prevent drowning. Making sure everyone is fed and snug.

 

[username00101]

The only bee related activity I've partaken in recently is shrew tracking in the fresh snow.

No obvious evidence of shrews entering the colonies at this point, but they're still out there...

 

[LarryBud]

Snow keeps coming, very unusual for February which is our driest month- a couple of feet on the ground. That's really rare here. Temps continue to hover overnight in the teens with highs in the mid twenties. Forecasts for the next ten days is pretty much the same with some alternating snow storms in the mix. When the melt comes, make sure your hives are out of the flood plains! My hive are pretty much (finally) in for the long winters nap. I had check the winter patties a week or so ago and they haven't been touched-the boxes were still heavy with decent and active populations- 4 more weeks and maybe we made it.

 

[JWPalmer]

We are going to be back in the 50's in two weeks, just in time to start some grafts, assuming I have capped drones. For now, more snow is in the immediate future. Spring is soooooo close for us in VA.

 

[althea]

We are going to be back in the 50's in two weeks, just in time to start some grafts, assuming I have capped drones. For now, more snow is in the immediate future. Spring is soooooo close for us in VA.

Yep right around the 22nd back into the mid to high 50’s. Maple bloom by March 1-4 I bet and we are off to the races. So close am ready.

 

[LAlldredge]

Post snow storm- rapidly melting. All 7 hives fine and snacking. Added to their slurry, water and dry pollen. Temps going back up. Major soil blocking seed starting going on in the house in my 3 tier LED light stand system. Love that light setup. Bantams (Skipper, Zipper, Polo, Buttercup, Lucy Lou, Eva, Peanut and Sweet Pea) good, mini donk Daisy & tennessee walker Cloud decided to eat their way through the storm.

 

[massbee]

Riding out the February snowstorms this year apparently. Hives are quiet, the occasional dead bee in the snow out front. Should be 40 degrees tomorrow and looking forward to getting a peek under the lids to check the sugar supply.

 

[little_john]

We've been snowed-in for the last seven days, with day-time temperatures well below zero - which is unusual for the UK. In contrast, yesterday was shirt-sleeve weather, and it was good to see the bees flying again. 100% winter survival so far - but then, it's only mid-February ...
LJ (who isn't counting his chickens ... just yet )

 

[JWPalmer]

LJ, good to see you posting again. Agree, still too early to be counting chickens.

 

[Ranger N]

50 degrees and clear finally. Opened the hives and NUC here at the house. Nuc looks to be getting a little crowded even though it is in a 5x5x5 frame medium. All of the cane sugar w/ dry pollen mixed in on the inner cover was gone. Placed another cup of the mix on top and closed it up. Happy with the nuc. Big hives were still working on the cane sugar w/ pollen mix, added another dose and closed them up as well. Will get to out yard on sunday weather permitting. Next week looks to be in the 60s and will start reversing boxes and checker boarding then. Looks like spring is right around the corner here. Fingers crossed...

 

[massbee]

Poked my head in for some disappointing results. Two hives dead out. One looks like they had gotten caught out of their cluster in a temp drop. They are all around the edges of the hive at the top near the edges of the dry sugar.
The other which was alive and well three weeks ago was dead in their same location I last saw them in the middle of their sugar cake. Small cluster underneath. This hive also struggled with pests all year so I’m sure that they have some underlying issues.
Good news, the hive I expected not to make it at all this year greeted me with a buzz when I peaked in. They continue to surprise me. One more hive I think is still ok. Not at the top, but always a few dead bees in the snow every few days there. We shall see.

 

[Ranger N]

Mass bee, sorry to hear about your losses. I keep hearing from Bee keepers in my area losing hive after hive. this winter. seems peculiar. I just spoke with a feller today and he has lost 6 of 10 hives. Very frustrating to keep hearing this. I still have to go out to another location where I have hives this weekend and sure hope they are healthy. Last time I checked them 3 weeks ago they were still looking good. I will see this Sunday...

 

[massbee]

I hope it goes well Ranger. Sometimes overwintering is a crapshoot here. I thought I had made it over the hump. Meanwhile, the guy I mentored all year has his two hives nice and strong so ... shrug

 

[LarryBud]

Looks like at least another week of cold, below freezing here in NJ and still almost a foot of snow on the ground. We had a slight warm up yesterday into the upper 40's F when the sun broke through. I've been worried about a die off seeing a lot of dead bees in the snow and the landing board covered with dead ones. As the day went on, the girl came out in forces and were doing cleansing flights, with a few just flying out and dying in the snow. All of my hives were active and even with the sever weather this year, I think I've had brood all winter. I put out a plate with a tablespoon of dry pollen on top of one hive just to see how they react and they took to it pretty strongly. Lots' of stained snow (between the dead bees) so they must be eating. By the end of the day, they had cleaned off all of the anding boards but there must be a few hundred dead laying around. Just a few more weeks-hopefully-waiting for the fat lady to sing.

 

[Swarmhunter]

-15F to -20F tis last week- would be nice to see above 0 again. N.E. Iowa

 

[JWPalmer]

-15F to -20F tis last week- would be nice to see above 0 again. N.E. Iowa

Had to go to Flagler Beach, FL for work this week. Having trouble with these 70 degree temps. 😁. Be back in VA soon enough that I won't manage to get used to the warm weather.

 

[AR1]

I really do wonder what this weather is doing to the population of Africanized bees in TX and other parts of the South.