The first attrition

Well my original hive that took the late season mite hit, has not made it. On 28th Janauary, almost exactly a year after I first wrangled live bees with Rob and Wally, I noticed clear robbing signs at the #1 hive, opened it up and found a few bees frozen in a very small cluster of only about 6", food both sides of them , so the mites just hammered them too hard, and maybe the queen also failed late season..... Never checked for brood late season. She would have been at least two years old according to Marc. LIVE AND LEARN. The other hives are working well, good pollen going in and a gallon jar feeder in the yard is being cleaned outi every 3 days. Did one fumigdalin treatment as well, just to be sure. Was hoping to be able to open the hives today before the cold snap (20 expected Sunday morning) but too cold and windy, only 52 with wind, so left them alone. Will clean up the dead out tomorrow too, as it was raining last weekend and away all week. Hive #3 is strong so will make a split when it warms up. Might get a pkg too as Larry Tate has some left. Will add some pics soon.