I was watching this video and 44 seconds into it I see a beekeeper pull a
frame from a dead out hive and what is still in the hive? An Apivar strip.
Evidently it was left there all winter. Later in the video it shows down in
the hive with another Apivar hanging on a wooden match. I can only assume
it has been left in the hive all winter.
http://whotv.com/2014/03/19/honeybees-hurting-cold-winter-takes-heavy-toll/

Karen,

You know its been a cold winter when you
find that the bees have resorted to foraging
matches.  ;)

Good observation!  But what caught my
attention was that the beekeeper called
200 bees a 'cluster'. 

Now, without a detailed look, it's hard
to make a diagnosis, but typically, I 
find that a cluster of very few bees in
late winter is suggestive of a colony
having issues prior to winter.  Perhaps, it 
should have been combined then, and
would, under good management practices,
should not be counted as a winter loss.
Just because a colony is found dead
during or after winter, does not make it
a winter loss.  IMO

Joe

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