Barbara...a CANADIAN beekeeper - coming out of winter - all 15 hives survived! that's http://thebeejournal.blogspot.com/2013/05/geared-up-and-going-strong.html
and THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! developing hearty "local" stock that survives winter.
http://www.npr.org/2013/05/12/183266512/for-year-round-buzz-beekeepers-fast-forward-Darwinism