It’s once again hovering right around 50F and kind of sunny today! I wanted to check in with the bees while they might be out, especially because of the fiasco I discovered last week.

To recap: the top cover, insulation, and moisture board had, at some point, blown off the north hive. There were still bees in there, finishing up the last of the fondant patty I’d left in early January. I fixed all this a week ago.

Today I was just hoping to see some activity; it’s possibly warm enough for cleansing flights! There wasn’t a whole lot of activity at the front entrance of the north hive, but I cracked the top to check on the fondant. There were still live bees in there, and they’d eaten a lot of the fondant. I will need to keep an eye on this. I really wonder, given the low number of bees and the fast rate of fondant disappearing, if they are going to make it. Fingers crossed.

The south hive looked a little more encouraging. More activity at the entrance, louder buzzing when I put my ear to the box. I cracked the top and saw the bees had eaten some of the fondant, but not nearly as much as the north hive. They seemed quite active and in good spirits, for all I could tell.

We’re supposed to get another snowstorm this weekend. I’m over it! But the forecast looks like it should be warmish again next Saturday. I will check on them again then and possibly replace the fondant in the north hive. Hopefully the bees will still be there.