Yes, it got up to 58°F today. The Saskatraz hive had one bee show up at the same time while the hive that may or may not have a queen had some flying and quite a few lounging in the sunshine.
Are they trying to swarm?!
A bee would have to be pretty stupid to swarm in November in cold country…
I agree my bees last year swarmed on a warm day in December, they are stupid sometimes. My husband and I were saying, those stupid idiots are all going to die!
No, they were just taking advantage of a warm day to be out foraging.
Those be dumb bees!
It's important to learn how to identify pests, diseases, and understand the life cycle/biology of honeybees if you want overwintering success. Bees dont swarm in December but will abscond if they are dying from disease and pests in a last-ditch effort to save the colony. Did you treat for mites and did the treatment work? Any signs of brood disease? If you lose a hive, there's a few things you can check. Scattered dead brood with pinholes in the capping's. Mite feces on the tops of the brood cells, looks like patches of white crystals. Take a cup of the dead bees and do a wash and mite count and you'll have your answer as to why your bees died.
