The days are growing longer and the crocuses are already out and daffodils are just about there now. So, with a mild weekend, I have checked my hives.
I didn't do much, that is I didn't open the hives completely, just removed the lid and checked they had enough food to keep them going. Actually, they didn't , so I have feed them them the last of the winter fondant I bought them at the start of last winter. This should keep them going for a few weeks and then I will probably still feed them a Spring sugar mix, till they really get going again.
I did find that one of my three colonies didn't make it through the winter. It was the weakest and I wasn't surprised, as it really didn't have enough bees to make it viable. Even it had made it, I was planning to combine it with a stronger colony as I didn't want the prospect of three colonies swarming over the Spring and Summer.
Roll on the really warm weather and good healh to the bees
