[MRM]

-30 is not a problem for bees. I grew up raising them with my father in Wisconsin. The only thing you have to worry about is keeping enough food in the hive for them to live on all winter. They eat more as it gets colder, so you have to leave plenty in there. To survive in the winter they cluster in a big ball and circle around and around all winter long to keep warm. Usually honey bees only live six weeks or something like that. Over the winter they change a little so they live longer but don't do much other than the cluster ball. On nice days they do fly out and clean the hive. As long as they have enough food, they are able to keep going. If you take too much and they get low on food, you can feed them sugar water. Otherwise, keep them out of the wind and dry and the temp shouldn't bother them.

But some winter kill will happen from time to time. Then you just mail order a new hive. They show up in the mail and you're good to go. The new hive will move right in, clear out the dead bodies and start to work. Really, it's unbelievably simple to keep bees. Vash has me inspired. I think I'm going to do it too.