I've been hoping for a spring/winter report from the folks on the list. Here in deep rural SE Washington St. We have had a winter of two stories. "The best of times and the worst of times". Fall (Sept- early Dec.) was mush milder than average with very little frost and virtually no snow. I was beginning to think we (me and the bees) would have an easy time of it. Then came early Jan. and the hammer came down hard.  Two weeks of sub zero temps, a low of -20f (-30c) and a hard ground freeze with an accumulation of about 24" of snow. Then it all turned on a dime. This last week it hit 60f for an afternoon and been frost free for several days in the low 50s for highs. I recall last falls long lived thread on hive insulation where I of minimal insulation (1" of rigid foam but otherwise just well provisioned double deeps) said that I had never lost a colony to cold. Needless to say I was plenty nervous and went out to check in a rain of bee poop as they enjoyed the first fly day in about 8 weeks. All save one, of 28, were fine. The one on autopsy had a large population and good stores but was raising brood on 3 frames. Probably a fatal mistake. I used some of their stores to sneak some honey into a couple that were not as heavy as I like and saw no brood. Admittedly not a thorough examination but with large population and all's well. 

Now on ground hog day we get news of an early spring. The cat even spent the night out. Primroses are blooming and bulbs are showing green tips, about average. What really matters is of course degree days. We know that the planet is warming and are told to expect wider swings than we have seen in the last several centuries. How do we and the bees locally adapt to this new reality?

Paul
47N 119W 2200'

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