@OhZark Biddies I checked my 2 bee hives today. 1 was dead and gone.

All that was left was dead bees on the bottom screen board. (pictures on the Honey Factory thread). All of the frames look empty to me. This was the hive that was split off the original hive. I did see some varroa mites on 6 bees when I checked on them several weeks ago. I don't know if there weren't enough bees to keep warm when we had really cold temps for a few nights, if they simply starved, if the mites did them in or if it was a combination of all of those things. ( I'm assuming it was the combination). The original hive looks okay. Not great. But there are a lot of bees! I did start them on a 2 to 1 sugar water feed. My plan for the empty hive is to put those frames into the freezer and then using them in the Spring. I will probably order another Nuc (especially if the stronger hive doesn't end up making it either).
I thought by not taking any honey from either hive I was almost assuring that they would make it. LOL, I guess I learned differently.
I hope your hives are doing much better than mine!!!