Oh my forum friends, thanks for the condolences....smiling.
That is terrible loss for surely, and I am pretty disgusted actually. Disgusted at myself for thinking that everything SHOULD be OK and they turned out not. I really and seriously at am a loss as to why these deadouts -- big clusters, lots of food, no varroa mite issues, the counts were very low last fall, no reason for this to happen, as far as I can tell. I will more than definitely get the bee inspector to come out and check things out with me. I am not touching the colonies until I can get some answers. I hope that it is not a disease. But still, that seem still so unlikely too because I keep a pretty good eye on them, and narry have I seen any sign of trouble, inside the colonies, or on the outside with broken, run down bees, with any kind of wing deformation or anything, it is a mystery. Oh well, I love mysteries and will have it solved, smiling. Have that great, most awesomely wonderful day, and that great health to boot!! Cindi