HI ALL,
WE HAVE HAS AN UNUSUALLY MILD WINTER THUS FAR, AND TO INSURE MY BEES HAD SUFFICEINT STORES I PUT FEED ON ALL OF MY HIVES SATURDAY.  7 OF 8 ARE DOING WELL.  THE 8TH HAD LOTS OF DEAD BEES ON THE BOTTOM BOARDS BUT THE HIVE IS STILL ALIVE.  THE SURPRISE I GOT WAS FROM A HIVE STARTED FROM WHAT I THINK WAS AN AFTER SWARM FROM ONE OF MY HIVES.  THERE WERE ONLY A HANDFULL OF BEES AND A SMALL QUEEN.  THEY TOOK UP RESIDENCE IN SOME OLD EQUIPMENT IN A SHED IN LATE SUMMER AND REQUEENED ONCE.  THEY WENT INTO WINTER WITH VIRTUALLY NO STORES AND NOT MANY BEES.  I DIDN'T EVEN TREAT FOR MITES.  I FIGURED THEY WOULD STARVE OUT OR AT LEAST DIE OUT FOR LACK OF BEES FOR A CLUSTER.  

WHEN I WALKED BY THE SHED I NOTICED SOME DEAD BEES ON THE LANDING PLATFORM.  WHEN I POPPED THE COVER THERE WAS A SMALL CLUSTER OF VERY ACTIVE BEES JUST UNDER THE INNER COVER.  ALTHOUGH THEY PROBABLY WILL NEVER BUILD UP ENOUGH TO SURVIVE I FED THEM RATHER THAN LET THEM STARVE AND AM CURIOUS AS TO HOW THEY WILL FAIR FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WINTER.

COLEENE
CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN