>How cold and long are your winters?

No way of knowing - every year is different lately.  Last winter no more than a handful of nights below freezing, but endless rain and floods.  However, in December 2010 we had 27 nights of frost down to -14ºC (6.8ºF).  Now we do not make many long term plans - just try to adapt to what is thrown at us!

Yes, you certainly have it colder than us, which makes me surprised that you keep any Italians - they would eat us out of house and home, needing at least 5 times the amount of food that our native dark bees use - and for no greater crop.  They would also explain the robbing problem, something that we just do not see now that we have eliminated so many of the Italian genes (but still work to do on this).

Best wishes

Peter 
52°14'44.44"N, 1°50'35"W

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