Here Comes the Cold

We had our first snow a couple of weeks ago. 

I hope the girls are staying warm! I added an empty super on top of each hive and filled them with cedar shavings to provide extra insulation and ventilation. I used those last year and both hives made it through the winter. We'll see if I get lucky again. 

The Apivar strips had been in for 6 weeks so it was time to take them out. I hated to open the hives in the cold (about 40) but I didn't want to leave them in any longer than I had to.

It was kind of fun to suit up one last time and fire up the smoker but the bees were definitely not happy about it. No surprise there. I will remember this next year and time the mite counts and treatments better. Live and learn!