# Winter for bees



## farmnewbie (Apr 18, 2014)

Hi All! I hope you are all having a good winter. It's been a while since I posted here. I was wondering something about my hives. I just went out there and noticed there were some dead bees on the front entrance. So I tapped the side and heard the hum, then I pulled out the entrance reducer and noticed a LOT of dead bees on the bottom of the bigger of the 2 hives and not as many on the 2nd but still a good amount of dead ones. Is it normal to loose a bunch of bees through the winter? I grabbed a little stick and cleared out as many dead bees as I could, but I know I didn't get them all. Should I be concerned that they will all die or is it a normal die off? Also is there anything else I should do for them to "check on them". It's still pretty darn cold. My husband said that he saw them flying out last weekend when temps were around 42, but that was the first activity we have seen all winter. 
Thanks!


----------



## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

It's normal to have a lot of dead bees in the winter, as long as the cluster stays large enough to produce sufficient heat, they will be fine.


----------



## farmnewbie (Apr 18, 2014)

Thank you. I have no idea how big the cluster is, but going into winter there was a good amount of bees in there so I'm sure it's still pretty big. I hope! Maybe the next decently warm day we have I will open up the top and take a peek.


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I would not be opening the hives till some day when it is in the high 50F range and no wind. Just tap the hive every so often.

 Al


----------



## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

I agree. Wait 'till it's a sunny 50* to get into them. While you are there pay special attention to their honey supply.There is still enough time before a nectar flow to lose them to starvation.

Wade


----------



## farmnewbie (Apr 18, 2014)

Thank you! That's another reason I wanted to open it up. Hopefully it will get warm and sunny before they "run out" of their stores if they do. I have these brown food patty thingies that I'm not 100% sure that they are but should I slip one on top of the hive when j do open it up? I don't know if they are protein or not and I've heard protein encourages then to start making brood and I don't want that to happen too early. Thoughts?


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

The queen should be laying some right now. I would not put any thing in a hive I didn't know what it was.

Our pollen patties are brown in color but I know what they are. I just crack the inter cover enough to slide them in place about mid march if it hasn't warmed yet.

 Al


----------



## k9 (Feb 6, 2008)

Al have you ever used that Mega bee dry like a pollen substitute in the early spring?


----------



## farmnewbie (Apr 18, 2014)

Oh the patties I have is in a box that is labeled. I just need to go out to the shed to look at the box to see what it's called. I will wait till march though to do any opening or feeding. Thank you. I didn't know the queen still laid eggs through winter. I thought she stopped! Good to know! Thanks.


----------



## Harrier (Mar 1, 2015)

I'm not keeping bees, but I am interested which is why I am reading this forum. The question I have is what do bees normally do with members of the colony who die in the hive? It seems that having them pile up in the entrance would cause problem's. I hope that this doesn't come across as naÃ¯ve, but I seriously never have thought about this and am curious.


----------



## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

When they can fly, they will carry the dead out away from the hive and dispose of them.

Farmnewbee, it is normal to have up to a hundred or more dead after a cold spell.


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I have many times in the spring when flipping the deeps found dead bees a inch deep on the bottom board.

When it warms there are lots of carrying off of the dead.
I lots of times will use a long stiff wire with a hook to rake them out. Birds and other small critters will clean them up from around the Hive

K9 I have never used the dry Mega pollen dry. 

I like the Mann lake mega patties when I am to lazy to mix up a batch of our own.

 Al


----------

