Phew, rather perplexing thing here. Eight out of 9 colonies dead. The only one alive is really alive with 6 frames of bees in the upper deep. I checked really quickly the other day, doing nothing short of lifting the lid to peak on for a couple of moments. I was going to feed pollen patties and decided before I brought them outside that I should check to see if all were alive. Needless to say I was pretty shocked. All colonies, save one, which was in a single box, had gone into winter with lots of food supplies, large clusters of bees. I have no clue what has gone on and won't know for a few days. These losses, in my mind, are pretty severe, I will be contacting the province Bee Inspector, Jacquie Bunsie, to see if she would like to come and do the initial inspection with me, to ascertain what may have gone wrong. I really thought that these colonies would all fly through winter. I have not experienced these winter losses before. Only one time in the fall with 9 colonies collapsing with varroa mite issues, but nothing that ever died throughout the wintertime.
The only thing different this year is the extended period of time where it was below zero, which is unheard of for so long in this area. We may get a couple of below zero days, but not the cold we have had. We got our first snow around the middle of December and it still has not fully melted in all places in my yard, unheard of....anyways, time will tell the tale of what has happened. Right now. No clue.
Maybe it is just the way things should go. Moving one hive will be much more simple than moving 10. I am being prepared by the mysterious unknown for moving day. There have been many mysterious things going on to make my life easier when we find that new home. Have a most wonderful and awesome life, day, health, that being the most important. Cindi