We had some sun yesterday and today, and some bees came out and promptly died in the snow. I coaxed some back to life (after having recently killed over 30 in the freezer!) but whether they actually made it back into the hive I'm not so sure.
I know that people suggest that you should cover the entrance with a plank so that the bees don't see the bright sunshine and get lured out - but I worry that if I do that, some may still leave the hive and are then less likely to find their way back.
I have been told about a large Canadian apiary where the hives are completely covered by snow for most of the winter with no ill effect. So, if we are trying to dissuade them from leaving the hive (with a plank in front of the entrance), why don't we just stop them from leaving by turning the entrance block around (provided we have an open mesh floor) until the snow has disappeared?
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