Frozen Bee

After several days of below freezing temperatures, and lows near or below zero, we had a warm sunny 45 degrees yesterday. The bees took cleansing flights, so they could poop and get comfy again. Some of the girls strayed too far from the hive and got too chilled to fly back. I found this one on a cleaning rag on my clothes line this morning, dead, with frost on her feet, back, forehead, and one antenna.

On the one hand, things like this make me sad. On the other hand, it's natures way of ensuring only the most capable bees eat the food stores and raise the new brood.