Spring is an important time of the year for you to monitor hive activity and insure that your bees complete their winter survival. As temperatures begin to warm towards 40 degrees, you will see the bees exiting the hive to make cleansing flights. Significant amounts of orange dots on the snow indicate successful flights. Take a peak under the cover to see that the cluster is still active, and food stores are ample. March is typically a month when food stores are depleted and the bees suffer. If you’ve been supplementing with hard candy or sugar, make sure there are still ample amounts. Later in the month, pollen supplement patties will be a good idea to stimulate the queen.