Dead Hive

Have been keeping any eye on the hives lately and saw no signs of life on the Lang.  No buzz when knocked on and no moving bees when looking in with a camera for looking in walls.  Today I decided to open it up and see what was going on.

Lots of honey, and a small (100 to 200) cluster of dead bees between two frames.  My guess is the numbers got so low they could not maintain temp.  Not sure when/where the rest went.  Must have left in the late fall or early winter.

I did take two of the frames with partial honey in them and propped them against a wall near the Topbar hive.  The girls in there had been poking their heads out a little the last few days.  Didn't take them long to smell/find the honey I left out.  They were quick to get their sisters to help collect it.

I am kinda surprized.  The lang bees had been strong all summer and produced 2.5 gal of extra honey this year.  The BarBees while doing ok did not have enough honey to collect any and I was worried about them making it through winter.  Maybe the Langry Bees lost their queen or something.  If the Barbees survive the rest of winter I will be very pleased.