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