Snow has finally gone for now!

Snow has finally gone and temperatures were 8-9 degs so thought would look to see how many had died in this spell, took off the porch and had a quick look in entrance, all blocked up with dead bees, hooked them out, maybe 150 plus bees! But did see a few bees moving about, then all of a sudden bees flying everywhere, temperature had hit 10 degs and they needed a bathroom break, can bees cross their legs for that long? :-)

Thought also that would be a good time to feed them too, but didn't have any fondant solid food, so a quick call to Sue and an internet search came up with a recipe, boiling up sugar and water, letting it cool and then pouring into a suitable container, hopefully a Marks and Spencer curry container will do the trick?

Have to fed them solid food this time of year as syrup requires the bees to expend too much energy converting to honey stores, they need to evaporate the water.

Bees and this snow!

More snow again, the last lot of snow was scary for a first time beekeeper, I found 150 plus dead bees jammed in the entrance of the hive and outside, I thought that was it, colony all dead, but common sense eventually kicks in and you begin to think what is 150 bees out of an over wintering colony of 8000 or so bees! But still pretty scary! I was told that maybe when the cold hit the hive some of the bees were away from the ball of the colony getting honey stores and might have been chilled and died?

Cold wouldn't really kill a colony off, it's damp that does, so with this last lot of snow I decided I would make them a little porch to help keep the worst of the snow away and in turn the damp. The entrance mouse guard is still bunged up with bees but I guess as soon as the weather warms a bit the bees will soon clear them out? Can you tell I'm still not that confident!

Bee Igloo

Well the snow arrived, wow has it arrived, this is day three, I've had to clear the entrance to the hive each morning, well I say I have had to, but to be honest not sure if I should! The first morning I tunnelled in, a bee flew out straight past me, I wonder did she ever find her way back? Each day there has been bees coming just outside the entrance, not flying, think they are carrying out the dead bees and rubbish. I'm hoping that the latest entrance will remain clear, but must watch closely because what kills bees is being damp and wet in hive, I have left snow on to insulate like an igloo, but as soon as thaw starts will need to clear away quick to avoid melt water in hive.