The winter stayed long in the Adirondacks and Green Mountains this year. At the end of March beginning of April I started to make my rounds to our apiaries. We loaded the truck and trailer with the tools and equipment needed for the day. The first two apiaries looked pretty good. It was a nice sunny day still cool, 48-50 degrees. Bees were flying a little.

We removed the hive reducers, wire and the wire off the 3/4″ top entrances and pulled off the winter wraps. Some were just tar paper others were insulated hive wraps.

Most of the colonies had signs of life at the front door, others I listened to with my stethoscope for the buzz. They all had signs of winter cleansing flights at the front door and at the top 3/4 inch entrance.

Died On Top of the Frame

One colony died off because they did not move over two frames to the winter stores. (more…)