A huge drop in temperature is approaching the Denver area. We can expect a drop from 60F to around -5F. The temps are not expected to rise about 20F for approximately 5 days. This type of weather can destroy even the hardiest of colonies. So, in these extreme cases, I will attempt to move the hives indoors until the next day where temps are above 40F. The bees have made it this far through winter, I would hate for them to not make it through these last few weeks.
The boxes from campus were moved in their entirety. I was planning on consolidating the hives a bit, possibly into NUCs. But the winds were so incredibly strong that I dare not open the hives. The plastic wrap is to block the cracks in the interface between hive boxes. The hive boxes need some work as there are 3/8 openings which bees can exit through.
