Friday January 26, 2018 was a mild, Michigan day. It got up to 50 degrees and there was sunshine. It was breezy, but I figured the bees would still be flying if they were alive. Now that I have to drive six miles over to the hives, I always wonder what I will find when I get there. I was relieved to find this: Both hives had bees flying in and out. I went a bit early, by later there were probably even more. So, for now, they are both still alive. This hive has the top feeder, so if I am worried later on, I can add sugar water to the top. I felt it was too risky to open the lid on that day. In a month or so, on a mild day I will come prepared with some sugar water and see if it needs
After two weeks of bitterly cold temperatures we finally have a break. I knew the bees would take advantage of above freezing temps and take a cleansing flight from the hive. This is a good time to look at the hives and see if you see any dead bees in the snow. Although dead bees may sound bad, this time of year it is actually good. Not all the bees that fly out to take a cleansing flight make it back in, so some dead bees in the snow in front of a hive are actually a good sign that the hive is alive. The good news is that BOTH hives had dead bees in the snow in front of them! The double hive had the entrance down to the small opening, so it was completely blocked with snow. I did unc
