Last Winter there was three feet of snow for most of January. This Winter, although we have had wind storms, it has been very mild. Honeybees do not fly if it below about 8 degrees celcius. We beekeepers use the rule 10C and it’s warm enough to go into the hives. Last year, February 6th, it was 7C and I went into the hive to clean off the bottom board because the bees had died there and were clogging up the entrance.

This year, what a different year! The bees have been flying on several occasions throughout November, December and January. Today I got to pop into the hives quickly and scrape off the bottom board to check for dead bees. This year it was warm enough that the bees brought out their own dead and the bottom boards were relatively dead-bee-free. They are trucking in with yellow pollen strapped to their legs and they are quite yellow and happy, cleaning each other and enjoying the sun.

So this is the time of year when a lot of beekeepers report their losses. I heard that at the beekeepers meeting last Thursday, no one volunteered their losses and then they knew it was bad. After phoning around to some of the experienced beekeepers I know, I discovered that the loss this year was quite substantial. A commercial operation lost more than 50 hives, another hobbiest lost 6 out of 7 of her hives. What devastation! I would be so crushed.

But humbly and happy to report here, I have 4 out of 4 hives. I know if I lost even one I would have a good little cry. At the end of last Winter, I was employed to check on a hive and it was clear they were dead from the moment I cracked the inner cover. I felt so sad and I hadn’t even invested what I have in my own hives.

For those of you entertaining the idea of keeping bees, it is getting a lot more difficult. The people who do it for a living are having a hard time. They require a lot of attention and a check at least every 10-14 days. Controlling the invasive mite population is a very real concern. Medicating the bees for foulbrood and nosema is very important and knowing how to do it properly is crucial.

Thank goodness growing veggies isn’t quite as hard. My garlic is sprouting two months ahead of last year!

Anyway I did want to wish my mother-in-law a very Happy Birthday today! May your year be filled with good things and thick books!

Have you had a mild Winter where you’ve been hibernating too?