George,

> You lost some hives in a "bad winter stretch".  Bees live quite well in
> northern Canada and Alaska.

While we do keep bees in Alaska, overwintering is still fairly uncertain.  We
have had some success, but nothing like what you would expect outside (outside
of Alaska that is).  Still, you are correct, the bees can easily endure the
weather.  I have never heard of bees killed by cold.  They usually succumb to
starvation (too cold to move down to existing stores), or simply dwindling (most
queens do not readily begin laying during the winter).  Mites have yet to be a
significant problem.  I expect that it will not remain such for long.

Tom

--
"Test everything.  Hold on to the good."  (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

Tom Elliott
Chugiak,  Alaska
U.S.A.
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