It’s hard to believe this is the same hive as the one in the Oct 5th update, huh? It’s significantly cooler now (although plenty warm for bees to fly) and it looks like most of the bees were out foraging while the rest were keeping the brood warm (just a guess).

It doesn’t look like this comb has had any honey, pollen, or eggs in it at all. The dark color is so strange. We recently saw some honey sold in the comb at a farm stand and the comb was SIGNIFICANTLY lighter than this brown color.

Since I have never fed this hive, I’m getting a little worried — I just ordered some early-Spring-blooming crocus and grape hyacinth bulbs to hopefully give the bees some food early if they can just make it through winter. Maybe I can make some sort of really raw honey patty in case they get hungry mid-winter. Any ideas or advice for me?