Warren helping with a hive inspection

 My bees are thriving- See how they are completely covering the brood?  There are too many for the one deep body so I added 5 super frames in a shallow. This time I hope they make it!  Warren taught me that temperature doesn't affect bees as much a moisture and wind, and, naturally, the Four Horsemen of Bee Apocalypse (Randy Oliver, American Bee Journal) - Toxins, Parasites, poor nutrition, and cold snaps.

Bees can fight these horsemen individually, and sometimes even all of them, but often, the collapse occurs because the bees are busy getting rid of infected bees and larvae from the hive. When there aren't enough bees to forage and/or keep the brood warm, the colony collapses.