It's actually the pollination industry that's the root of the problem as I see it, and there's a lot of evidence to support it. There has been a major shift in

It's actually the pollination industry that's the root of the problem as I see it, and there's a lot of evidence to support it. There has been a major shift in the past couple of decades and now pollination services account for as much income for keepers as the honey itself. So just out of wintering, when they're at their weakest, they get all the hives together to pollinate the almond crops, and of course to trade the latest parasites and diseases. Once they've got all caught up to date on those, they load them back on the trucks and do a nice tour around the country, spreading the joy. My parents kept up to 100 hives for almost two decades in northern Manitoba, where it gets down to -40C, and we rarely ever had overwintering losses. Farmers and keepers should treat their livestock well, feed them over the winter, give them a bit of shelter, and they'll do fine. Bees can survive almost any cold if they've got the fuel to burn to keep the hive warm.