During the first inspection of the bee colonies this spring, the garden beekeeper found a dead colony. Two other colonies were drone brooding and were disbanded by sweeping the bees from the combs at a distance at 18°C. They begged themselves in the other colonies.

Two very weak colonies were united over a barrier grid. This way the queens do not get in each other's way and both have a chance to survive before they are separated again in a few weeks.

The sad result today is therefore 50% winter losses. Or, to put it positively): Again enough material and space for many offshoots :-)