Hello All, Many Midwestern beekeepers on Bee-L have asked me to every once in awhile tell what is going on with hives of mine. Today I looked at four yards of overwintered Missouri hives. I picked areas in which I have trouble wintering. Not enough windbreak etc. All yards have got good and bad points. some of my best yards are great in every aspect BUT wintering. Light winter not a problem. Severe winter and look for winter losses. I had to walk into all places because of mud. The snow cover is melting and water is high in low areas. Even with my four wheel drive I was glad after I walked in I had not taken in the truck as instead of writting now I might be waiting to be pulled out. Most rural people know what I am about to say but others might not. In spring after snow cover and after the first spring thaw the ground is very soft. What we need is a rain to harden the ground up. Sounds crazy but true in the midwest. 70% chance of rain Friday so if arrives I will be able to get in the yards with the big truck with syrup tote before long. All the four yards I checked had live bees but one. I had a skid of three dead hives in a yard on a 200 acre cattle farm. The hives still had honey and a dead large cluster but two of the dead hives had the top deep box on turned upside down. If the cattle had knocked the hives over or the farmer with a piece of equipment the farmer will tell me. If vandals then I will most likely never find out but I assure you I did not put those two boxes on upside down with the dividion board feeders pointed down. If knocked over early in winter then the bees most likely died early on and perhaps the farmer set back up recently. The skid was the end skid in a line of skids .I did not pick up the deadouts because with all the mud I had to walk about 200 feet into the yard. Due to the severe drought we saw last summer and fall I gave extra care getting those bees ready for winter which I believe paid off. I believe those in our area which depended on fall honey flows to give your bees the stores for winter might be in for a surprise as I fed heavily and although not starving many will need feed before dandelions bloom in my opinion (if not sooner). Because we are seeing a couple days with temps around 60F. will others in our area which have checked your bees report what you are seeing. I have had one call of a beekeeper with around 70% dead looking for spring nucs. We got a positive in bees in our area with coumaphos resistant varroa. Checkmite did not control varroa in those hives last fall. The hives were not mine but I was asked for advice. High varroa infestation in fall will kill hives over the winter. Sincerely, Bob Harrison Odessa, Missouri :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::