The bees survived!!!!

[lesa]

After the horrid, record breaking winter season we had- I had lost hope for our bees. Today it is about 50 degrees and the hive looks great! Tons of bees. That is nothing short of a miracle in my opinion! Our average daytime temp for the entire month of February was 8 degrees. Mother nature continues to amaze me!

 

[ninnymary]

Yay! So happy for you and the bees. They are sooooo important. Must be mighty tough.

Mary

 

[Carol Dee]

How wonderful. DH wintered on hive in the basement, they survived. The two left outdoors did not. better than last winter when we lost all three.

 

[journey11]

Wonderful news! Mine did too, and we had quite a few nights below zero this year. I haven't wrapped my hives the past two years and now I believe I don't really need to. All I've done is just slide the corrugated plastic sheet back into the IPM bottom boards.

 

[lesa]

We have had severe problems with condensation, so we don't wrap ours anymore. If they didn't need it to survive this year, I am guessing they never will! We have an additional package of bees coming mid-month. Let Spring Begin!

 

[Smiles Jr.]

I lost 50% of our bees this past winter. Two out of our four didn't make it. One was full of dead bees and one had only 100 to 200 bees laying in the bottom. The other two are healthy and busy. I did not wrap them this year as we had so doggone much going on last fall. But I have also noticed that the loss rate does not seem to mater if the hives are wrapped or not. Come on swarm season! I need two swarms to replace my losses.

 

[Carol Dee]

@Smiles Jr. DH wants a swarm to show up also. We have the extra hive. Do you use an attractant? Or jut leave the old comb, etc. in it? @lesa DH picks up the bees next weekend.

 

[so lucky]

How many beekeepers do we have on here? (I'm green with envy, by the way)

 

[Nyboy]

I want bees but don't have time to take care of them. Was thinking of putting up ad for bee keeper. Space in my garden for hive, in trade for honey

 

[journey11]

We have had severe problems with condensation, so we don't wrap ours anymore. If they didn't need it to survive this year, I am guessing they never will! We have an additional package of bees coming mid-month. Let Spring Begin!

I used to wrap mine because I worried about the gusty winds that blow all winter on my hilltop. But you are right, I think the condensation is a much bigger problem for them! This February was record breaking cold for our area too.