Terry Coombs wrote:
>
> Up north they sometimes insulate the hives some , especially in places
> where the temps go well below zero F . We've had occasional temps here
> down in single digits , the clustered bees did just fine . The big thing
> is that they need food - honey or sugar - and it has to be accessible
> while in cluster . As long as they have something to eat they'll pull
> thru - usually , unless there are other problems like a lot of mites or
> other pests . Mice can wipe out a hive in very short order . The real
> worrisome time is early spring when they're "brooding up" in preparation
> for the spring nectar flow . Takes a lot more food to make babies than
> it does to keep the cluster warm .

Ok then. I will assume that when you harvest honey, you leave
enough for them to eat during the winter and spring until flowers
bloom again? IOW...if you take out ALL their honey, they would
die during the winter?

I actually have several bee stories to tell. Here's the first
one:

Watching some kids science-guy show one summer morning, he said
how bumblebees can freeze solid, go into suspended animation,
then revive once the temp warms up again. HUH, I thought. I just
had to see that for myself. I went right outside and scooped a
bumblebee on a clover into a jar with lid. Came back inside and
put that jar right into our freezer.

Next morning bee was frozen solid. The whole family gathered
around as I dumped the frozen bumble onto a dinner plate. Small
clink sound as he hit the plate...frozen solid and on his back
with all legs in the air.
We all sat there for about 15 minutes as he slowly warmed up
and....nothing.

A few minutes later though, one leg started slowly moving....then
more legs...eventually the bee turned over and just stood there
on the plate. That's when I took the plate outside and put it on
a porch table in the warm summer air.

Several more minutes and he started walking around the plate,
then flew off.

I was wondering if honey bees have that same ability....(my next
bee story)