Winter Nor'Easter hits Garrett County, pounding the area with over 30+ inches of snow! The Sky Valley Bees were well looked after. The entrance area to the hive needs to be ventilated to allow air to circulate into the hive. If a hive does not get ventilation the bees will die from suffication. The snow actually provides insulation around the side of the hives. In the photo you will notice the hives have been wrapped in roofing paper to provide a wind break, and insulation for winter. When the sun comes out the dark paper holds more heat. The bees are huddling together in a ball with the queen in the center. The are keeping warm buying huddling, and protecting the queen. The bees spend the winter this way moving as a group, as needed, to the honey stores. The honey they worked all summer making is their source of food that gets them through the winter. If it is too cold, and it doesn't warm up enough where the bees can move over to the honey, they can die. Bees have died of starvation one

inch from honey! This is because it was too cold for too long, and they were too cold to move to the food. This is how the roofing paper helps. On cold winter days the roofing paper absorbs the suns heat, providing enough warmth for them to move to the honey.