From MAILER-DAEMON Sat Feb 28 08:52:42 2009 Return-Path: <> X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.1.8 (2007-02-13) on industrial X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-90.0 required=2.4 tests=ADVANCE_FEE_1,AWL, SPF_HELO_PASS,USER_IN_WHITELIST autolearn=disabled version=3.1.8 X-Original-To: adamf@IBIBLIO.ORG Delivered-To: adamf@IBIBLIO.ORG Received: from listserv.albany.edu (unknown [169.226.1.24]) by metalab.unc.edu (Postfix) with ESMTP id 021ED49080 for ; Sat, 28 Feb 2009 08:44:22 -0500 (EST) Received: from listserv.albany.edu (listserv.albany.edu [169.226.1.24]) by listserv.albany.edu (8.13.8/8.13.8) with ESMTP id n1SDbKm1012089 for ; Sat, 28 Feb 2009 08:44:22 -0500 (EST) Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2009 08:44:18 -0500 From: "University at Albany LISTSERV Server (14.5)" Subject: File: "BEE-L LOG0403D" To: adamf@IBIBLIO.ORG Message-ID: Content-Length: 57440 Lines: 1316 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 00:40:09 -0500 Reply-To: jfischer@supercollider.com Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: James Fischer Organization: Bedford Advanced Technology Test Lab Effort Subject: Re: Single vs. double > I made sure there were a few queen cells in each of the splits. > Now, do any of you have opinions on whether or not the young queen I > introduced in December will tear apart the queen cells in her hive, now > that there is lots of space in the new brood chamber? As you split the hive, you have certainly made it SEEM like a swarm has left. At least in the opinion of the mammals involved in the operation, as if the opinions of mammals mattered in the least to the bees. :) ...except the same laying queen is still there in whichever half of the split she occupies. In a real swarming scenario, the mated queen would leave with the swarm. But an in-place mated, laying queen does not, to my knowledge, wander around and sting (kill) "competitive queen cells". This is something that only newly-emerged virgins are known for doing, at least in the "conventional wisdom". So, what clues can be assumed to be available to the bees in the splits with the existing (mated, laying) queens? a) Things are suddenly much less crowded. b) The swarm (queen) cells are still intact. c) Pheromones from the existing mated queen can be assumed to still be strong. d) Brood pheromone from open brood continues to exist in the hive over time, proving to all and sundry that the existing queen continues to lay. I'd speculate that the bees would read all this as at least any one of the following, if not something more obscure, complex, and/or preverse: 1) The first swarm has "left the hive", so let's get to work on producing the 2nd, 3rd....nth. (In this scenario, the number of queen cells is assumed to be an indicator of an intent to produce multiple swarms in succession, and there is nothing that will stop them short of destruction of each and every queen cell now in place, and every queen cell they build for the next "n" weeks, where "n" is a very tedious number.) 2) We are now done swarming, and can tear down the extra swarm cells we raised, as the queen we have is generating strong pheromones. (In this scenario, a sudden drop in bee population alone is enough to fool the bees into thinking that they are "done".) 3) Since we still detect the pheromones of the "old" queen, the swarm has NOT yet left, so we should continue with swarm preparation. (In this scenario, the bees, once started down the road to swarming, are nearly impossible to stop without the same tedious inspection and queen-cell removal as in [1], as they expect to detect a NEW queen, and will not stop until they do so. In other words, swarming is a pheromone-driven thing, and bees can tell "old" versus "new" queens by their pheromones.) There may be more possible scenarios, but I can't think of any that would be based upon tangible clues. (Anyone want to add a few?) If anyone knew the exact cues for swarming, there would be far fewer books on the subject, far fewer beekeeper discussions, and swarming would be a simple and predictable thing to detect and control, no more exciting than weeding the garden or doing the dishes. Since you have 15 hives to split, you could experiment with a large enough number to publish a decent paper in a respectable journal. Find the queen after making all splits, mark it, and for each group of 5 hives that have both queen cells and the existing queen, where the "group" of 5 is a random "pull a hive number out of a hat" selection: a) Remove all queen cells, and see if the bees try to make more queen cells. If they make more, cut them out. b) Leave the queen cells, and "squeeze the bees" so that they are just as crowded as they were before the split. (If you are using "deeps", maybe install a vertical divider to create a smaller hive within the "deep" hive body, and duct tape plastic wrap around the "dead space" to keep the bees from expanding into the "dead" area.) c) Leave the spilt "as is", leaving the newly available space and taking care not to damage any queen cells. (These would be your "controls".) Maybe there are other options, but the two choices (a) and (b) would be among the more popular of the rituals performed in the modern-day voodoo ceremonies of "swarm prevention". Inspect all the colonies on a regular basis, record your observations, and there you have it. Raw data that might shed some additional light on the subject. Problem is, would you be able to notice if one of the splits swarmed at any point in the process? If any one of the splits produces a swarm, this would be a mission-critical thing to be able to detect with certainty. Since the "old queen" leaves with the first swarm, you need to mark your queens up front, and check for the continued presence of the marked queen during the entire spring at regular intervals. Science is a lot more work than beekeeping, but it can be fun. jim (Who must admit to never having made the effort to do this experiment himself, despite annual opportunities for more than a decade.) :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 21:04:07 +1100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Simon Pigot Organization: DPIWE Subject: New site with some info on Tasmanian Beekeeping MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi All, The Tasmanian Beekeepers Association (TBA) is currently building a web site on the association and beekeeping in Tasmania. Some info is available on the site including newsletters and a brief history of the association. More to come soon. The url is: http://au.geocities.com/tasbeekeepers Cheers and thanks, Simon Pigot TBA Secretary :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 00:40:09 -0500 Reply-To: jfischer@supercollider.com Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: James Fischer Organization: Bedford Advanced Technology Test Lab Effort Subject: Re: Single vs. double > I made sure there were a few queen cells in each of the splits. > Now, do any of you have opinions on whether or not the young queen I > introduced in December will tear apart the queen cells in her hive, now > that there is lots of space in the new brood chamber? As you split the hive, you have certainly made it SEEM like a swarm has left. At least in the opinion of the mammals involved in the operation, as if the opinions of mammals mattered in the least to the bees. :) ..except the same laying queen is still there in whichever half of the split she occupies. In a real swarming scenario, the mated queen would leave with the swarm. But an in-place mated, laying queen does not, to my knowledge, wander around and sting (kill) "competitive queen cells". This is something that only newly-emerged virgins are known for doing, at least in the "conventional wisdom". So, what clues can be assumed to be available to the bees in the splits with the existing (mated, laying) queens? a) Things are suddenly much less crowded. b) The swarm (queen) cells are still intact. c) Pheromones from the existing mated queen can be assumed to still be strong. d) Brood pheromone from open brood continues to exist in the hive over time, proving to all and sundry that the existing queen continues to lay. I'd speculate that the bees would read all this as at least any one of the following, if not something more obscure, complex, and/or preverse: 1) The first swarm has "left the hive", so let's get to work on producing the 2nd, 3rd....nth. (In this scenario, the number of queen cells is assumed to be an indicator of an intent to produce multiple swarms in succession, and there is nothing that will stop them short of destruction of each and every queen cell now in place, and every queen cell they build for the next "n" weeks, where "n" is a very tedious number.) 2) We are now done swarming, and can tear down the extra swarm cells we raised, as the queen we have is generating strong pheromones. (In this scenario, a sudden drop in bee population alone is enough to fool the bees into thinking that they are "done".) 3) Since we still detect the pheromones of the "old" queen, the swarm has NOT yet left, so we should continue with swarm preparation. (In this scenario, the bees, once started down the road to swarming, are nearly impossible to stop without the same tedious inspection and queen-cell removal as in [1], as they expect to detect a NEW queen, and will not stop until they do so. In other words, swarming is a pheromone-driven thing, and bees can tell "old" versus "new" queens by their pheromones.) There may be more possible scenarios, but I can't think of any that would be based upon tangible clues. (Anyone want to add a few?) If anyone knew the exact cues for swarming, there would be far fewer books on the subject, far fewer beekeeper discussions, and swarming would be a simple and predictable thing to detect and control, no more exciting than weeding the garden or doing the dishes. Since you have 15 hives to split, you could experiment with a large enough number to publish a decent paper in a respectable journal. Find the queen after making all splits, mark it, and for each group of 5 hives that have both queen cells and the existing queen, where the "group" of 5 is a random "pull a hive number out of a hat" selection: a) Remove all queen cells, and see if the bees try to make more queen cells. If they make more, cut them out. b) Leave the queen cells, and "squeeze the bees" so that they are just as crowded as they were before the split. (If you are using "deeps", maybe install a vertical divider to create a smaller hive within the "deep" hive body, and duct tape plastic wrap around the "dead space" to keep the bees from expanding into the "dead" area.) c) Leave the spilt "as is", leaving the newly available space and taking care not to damage any queen cells. (These would be your "controls".) Maybe there are other options, but the two choices (a) and (b) would be among the more popular of the rituals performed in the modern-day voodoo ceremonies of "swarm prevention". Inspect all the colonies on a regular basis, record your observations, and there you have it. Raw data that might shed some additional light on the subject. Problem is, would you be able to notice if one of the splits swarmed at any point in the process? If any one of the splits produces a swarm, this would be a mission-critical thing to be able to detect with certainty. Since the "old queen" leaves with the first swarm, you need to mark your queens up front, and check for the continued presence of the marked queen during the entire spring at regular intervals. Science is a lot more work than beekeeping, but it can be fun. jim (Who must admit to never having made the effort to do this experiment himself, despite annual opportunities for more than a decade.) :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 09:58:50 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: "Medhat Nasr, Ph. D." Subject: Re: Honey Recall MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Honey Recall: On March 13, 2004, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume No Name brand honey because this product contains nitrofuran. For more information check: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2004/20040312be.shtml and http://www.honeycouncil.ca/users/folder.asp?FolderID=876&nID=388 medhat Medhat Nasr, Ph. D. Provincial Apiculturist Crop Diversification Centre North 17507 Fort Road Edmonton, AB, Canada T5Y 6H3 Tel: (780) 415-2314 Fax: (780) 422-6096 Mailto:medhat.nasr@gov.ab.ca :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 22:10:18 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Chuck Norton Subject: Re: Honey Recall Comments: To: "Medhat Nasr, Ph. D." Dr. Medhat Nasr's post gave the following link: "http://www.honeycouncil.ca/users/folder.asp?FolderID=876&nID=388", which contained the following statement: "The honey was packed in Australia by Capilano as a blend of Argentine and Australian honey." I wonder as Paul Harvey would say before he discovers, .."What's the rest of the story". Perhaps we are looking at just the tip of the iceberg. It would be nice to see additional posts here on BEE_L as this instance gets unraveled thread by thread. I compliment Dr. Nasr on his continuing contributions to this List. Chuck :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 22:32:08 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Bob Harrison Subject: Re: Honey Recall MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit : "The honey was packed in Australia by Capilano as a blend of Argentine and Australian honey." Chuck said: I wonder as Paul Harvey would say before he discovers, .."What's the rest of the story". Perhaps we are looking at just the tip of the iceberg. We were told at the Kansas Honey producers two weeks ago meeting that thankfully no Argentina honey contaminated with nitrofuran had left Argentina. Hmmm. Does Australia test any honey it buys for contamination or simply trust the sellers? Was the blend to cover up the nitrofuran contamination? Bob :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 11:34:32 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Mats Andersson Subject: Moving newly capped queen cells MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Hi there. I'd like to ask for some help on a question: I'm making plans for breeding queens this summer and i want to move the queen cells into an incubator as soon as they have been capped. My problem is that i would prefer not to have my starter colony in my back yard, but rather in my nearest bee yard, which is a five minute drive from home. So i'd like to ask - if i move my frames of newly capped queen cells from the colony, into my car, drive carefully for five minutes and then carry the cells into my house and put them into my incubator, will this significantly reduce my success with the queens? I am familiar with all the steps in the breeding process and the incubator i have is working perfectly, so all i'm asking about is the drive between the starter hive and my incubator. /Mats Andersson, Stockholm Sweden ------------------------------------------------- WebMail från Tele2 http://www.tele2.se ------------------------------------------------- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 11:36:10 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Mats Andersson Subject: Uncapping machines MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Hi there. I am in the process of buying an uncapping machine. Since this is a pretty big investment for my yet small operation, i'd like some advice from those of you who have been through this before. When byuing an uncapper, what should i look for? What should i avoid? Which features are most important? /Mats Andersson, Stockholm Sweden ------------------------------------------------- WebMail från Tele2 http://www.tele2.se ------------------------------------------------- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 09:37:39 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Peter John Keating Subject: Honey Recall MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Strange, Labonte Honey in Quebec recently teamed up with Capilano. http://www.labontehoney.com/eng/_frame.html According to the press release at the above site Capilano has a HACCP program !!! Labonte has on many occasions been fined by the CFIA due to contaminated honey. On one occasion there were 22 charges against Labonte Honey, and as they pleaded guilty to one charge the other 21 were dropped! http://www.caima.net/_Press/00000055.htm Peter > : "The honey was packed in Australia by > Capilano as a blend of Argentine and Australian honey." What's the rest of the story". Perhaps we are looking at just the tip of the iceberg. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 08:39:02 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: "Medhat Nasr, Ph. D." Subject: More Honey Recall by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Another Public notice issued today: Medhat >UPDATE- HEALTH HAZARD ALERT - VARIOUS IMPORTED HONEY PRODUCTS MAY CONTAIN NITROFURANS > >OTTAWA, March 23, 2004 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)is warning the public not to consume various imported honey because these products may contain nitrofurans. The public warning issued on March 13, 2004 is being updated to include additional lot codes, product details, new affected products, and distribution >information. > >The following products are affected by this alert. >see: >http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2004/20040323e.shtml > >The CFIA is continuing its investigation in cooperation with the various >importers to identify and recall the affected products from the marketplace. >The above list of affected products would be updated as required. > >Nitrofurans are antimicrobial drugs which are banned for use in Canada in >food producing animals. Consumption of foods contaminated with nitrofurans >may pose a human health risk related to the inherent toxicity of the drug and >the potential to cause allergies. There have been no reported illnesses >associated with the consumption of this product. > >The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall. > >The previous alert can be viewed at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2004/20040312be.shtml > >For more information, consumers and industry can call one of the CFIA at 1- >800-442-2342. 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time - Monday to Friday. > >For information on receiving recalls by electronic mail, or for other food safety >facts, visit our web site at www.inspection.gc.ca. Medhat Nasr, Ph. D. Provincial Apiculturist Crop Diversification Centre North 17507 Fort Road Edmonton, AB, Canada T5Y 6H3 Tel: (780) 415-2314 Fax: (780) 422-6096 Mailto:medhat.nasr@gov.ab.ca :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 20:30:58 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Michael Palmer Subject: Re: Uncapping machines In-Reply-To: <20040323103611.THTB12365.fep04-svc.swip.net@fep04-svc.swip .net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/mixed; x-avg-checked=avg-ok-5C401386; boundary="=======107D26CC=======" --=======107D26CC======= Content-Type: text/plain; x-avg-checked=avg-ok-5C401386; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit > When byuing an uncapper, what should i look for? What should i avoid? > Which features are most important? How many colonies are you running should be considered. I have used several types of uncapper, from hand held hot knife, to vibrating knifes, to Gunness chain uncapper. I think the chain types are best for medium sized and larger operations. They are fast and clean. They take any size frames, even all mixed up. They have few moving parts, and virtually no adjustment. Stay away from finicky rattletrap uncappers with moving hot knifes and automatic feeds, and unloaders. They eat combs and frames for dessert. They often require being set for one size at a time. A good chain uncapper can probably keep 4-72 frame extractors in operation. Mike --=======107D26CC=======-- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 22:35:58 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Rob Green Subject: ISBA Journal - Free Download In-Reply-To: <200403170503.i2H4sZgF008553@listserv.albany.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed The Indiana State Beekeepers Association publishes the ISBA Journal six times a year. It is available for free download at http://www.hoosierbuzz.com/document/i0404.pdf :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2004 08:03:11 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Lionel Evans Subject: Re: Uncapping machines MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit While on the subject of uncappers, does anyone have a Maxant Model 1700 for sale? Please reply to me personally since the list is not interested about personal sale items. Lionel Evans North Alabama :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2004 08:06:56 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Michael Bassett Subject: Re: Uncapping machines > When byuing an uncapper, what should i look for? What should i avoid? > Which features are most important? > I think the chain types are best for medium sized >and larger operations. They are fast and clean. Mike I started off with a chain uncapper and went to one with the hot knives as I found that the chain uncapper left far to much wax in the honey, unless you also invest in some method to remove this, I found that my filters plugged up so fast It was faster to uncap by hand. Mike Bassett New York :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2004 06:04:29 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Bob Hack Subject: Re: Uncapping machines In-Reply-To: <5.2.0.9.0.20040323201928.00b78bd8@pop.together.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi All I recently acquired a Maxant Series 1700 decapper. It's the type where you put a single frame into a holder and press down on a lever to lower the frame between two rotating shafts with chains on them. I was told that I should change my supers to 9 frame to make this work properly. I have uncapped with a hot knife and/or a comb up until now. I have never even seen a decapper of any sort before, so I haven't a clue how to use it and what to watch out for. I would appreciate all the pointers that I can get. Thanks, Bob > -----Original Message----- > From: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu [mailto:BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu]On > Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2004 5:31 PM > > When byuing an uncapper, what should i look for? What should i avoid? > > Which features are most important? :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2004 10:36:54 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Lloyd Spear Subject: Uncappers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Mike Palmer gave some excellent advice for those with many frames to extract, and pointed out most of the chain uncapper advantages. An advantage he did not dwell on is the chain uncapper's ability to handle 'low spots', saving the effort of hand scraping them with a fork or hive tool. That said, there are some disadvantages to keep in mind: 1. They tend to beat tiny pieces of wax right into the cells that then get into the honey. 2. They cause some air to be beaten into the honey. To a large producer, these two disadvantages are nothing compared to the advantages. A good spinner will remove most or all of the wax before the honey is strained or filtered and time in a sump will let the air come to the surface as foam where it can be skimmed off. However, relatively small producers may not want to add a spinner, sump or settling tank, and a pump. When I got to 300 medium supers, I looked around for something to replace my hand knife. I was thinking of a used Silver Queen. New ones run around $4,000. Used are hard to find, and are snapped up quickly. With my hand knife, I could only uncap around 15 frames in the time my 20-frame extractor took to run the frames dry. Thus, my uncapper was causing a bottleneck. (Unlike some, I never had hand or wrist pain from using the hand knife.) In 2001, the makers of the Silver Queen, Cowan Manufacturing, came out with a new product, the Handyman Uncapper. I had never seen it, but when I heard Dave Cowan talk about it, I asked him whether I should buy a Silver Queen or this for my 300 supers. Without hesitation, he said buy the Handyman. I did. I told him I wanted it to mount over a Maxant uncapping tank I all ready had, and gave him the dimensions. I also ordered an attached mechanism to heat the knives with steam (electric is also available, but I highly recommend the steam instead). The total bill was less than 50% of the Silver Queen price and, most impressive, it worked 'out of the box'! One must hand load frames into the Handyman and turn a hand crank to run the frames through the vibrating knives. I don't think it is possible to run the frames though faster than the knives can uncap.at least I can't. They uncap very nicely, although on newly drawn frames I sometimes have to scrape low spots. I now have plenty of time to uncap 20 frames before my extractor completes a cycle, so I also get to use the mop, rearrange supers, etc. and I have not had to invest in a spinner, settling tank, and honey pump. All that said, if a beekeeper's intention is to get to 500-1,000 or more supers it is likely that she will need at least a spinner and probably a settling tank and honey pump in any case. If so, I would go with a chain uncapper right from the start. Otherwise, my advice is to go with a Handyman Uncapper. Available from Cowan directly (435-477-8902), from Kelley (800-233-2899), and perhaps some other dealers. Hope this is helpful, Lloyd Lloyd Spear, Owner Ross Rounds, Inc. Manufacturers of Ross Rounds Comb Honey Equipment, Sundance Pollen Traps and Custom Printer of Sundance Labels. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2004 17:39:15 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Michael Palmer Subject: Re: Uncapping machines In-Reply-To: <200403241306.i2OD04fp015096@listserv.albany.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/mixed; x-avg-checked=avg-ok-10C46134; boundary="=======70673E9=======" --=======70673E9======= Content-Type: text/plain; x-avg-checked=avg-ok-10C46134; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Mike Bassett said: >I found that the chain uncapper left far to much wax in the honey, I agree, but the solution is a settling tank. I had two 1000 lb stainless tanks that I connected in series through the 2" fittings. I mounted a 2" threaded flange on the second tank as an outlet, and attached a pump to it. I made a control switch with a toilet bowl float and switch. I placed a strap type drum heater around each tank. The honey is warmed by the tapes, and most of the wax stays in the first tank...where the uncapper and extractors empty. The honey is then pumped through a series of three water jacketed sumps. By the time it gets to the filter, there is no wax.. Each morning, I remove 75% of the wax from the first tank, and run it through my capping melter. Leaving a layer of cappings in the first tank, seems to keep more of that day's wax in the tank, and it doesn't flow through the system. Mike --=======70673E9=======-- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2004 20:06:05 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: John Cunningham Subject: Uncapping machines MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I use a Cowan with hot knives. It works just fine, I think it would be = better if it had the electric heated knives instead of the steam heated. = The wax melter/separator that I got, used, with it needs some = improvement. What kind of separator are others using under a Cowan? = Mine melts the wax and runs it out a pipe, the honey level is controlled = and runs out another pipe. John Cunningham Perrysville, IN running 100 hives :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2004 11:04:30 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Michael Bassett Subject: Re: Uncapping machines >I recently acquired a Maxant Series 1700 decapper. It's the type where you >put a single frame into a holder and press down on a lever to lower the >frame between two rotating shafts with chains on them. I was told that I >should change my supers to 9 frame to make this work properly. I have >uncapped with a hot knife and/or a comb up until now. I have never even seen >a decapper of any sort before, so I haven't a clue how to use it and what to >watch out for. I would appreciate all the pointers that I can get. This is the type of chain uncapper that I had bought. I found that 10 frames were to thin, 9 frames to fat for the adjustments. Also the frame did not go down between the chains uniformly. one side didn't get decapped while the other side would be take all of the drawn comb off. I brought it back to Maxant and they added two guides(may be on the newer models) which seemed to help center the frames. It worked on med frames but didn't travel enough to get the bottome of deep frames. I found the following link but never got around to trying these modifications to make it work with either 9 or 10 frames but they would seem to help, but would also make the deep frames uncape even less as you would raise the height of the uncapper's http://www.beesource.com/plans/unchain.pdf if this doesn't get you to the correct information I still have the pdf on disk and can send it to you. mike bassett N.Y. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 02:57:16 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Glen van Niekerk Subject: Re: Uncapping machines Dear All! I also have a Maxant series 1700 uncapping machine in use for the past 2 years. I prefer chains because there is no extra heat involved during the processing of my honey crop. I have found the following: 1. Nine frames DO work better with this uncapper 2. Your frames ALLWAYS have to be of good quality and well maintained, otherwise the chains will grab the wires and destroy the frame. 3. The thickness of the super combs becomes more uniform with time, which helps the bees in building a thicker comb. 4. Extra wax to process = extra income.:-) 5. On the down side - there are small wax particles in the honey, but I am investing in a capping spinner, also from Maxant which I as sure is going to solve the problem. In short: I do not want to be without my uncapper! Sincerely, GLEN. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 11:37:06 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Ed Geels Subject: DNA Sequence of Mites The Biotech Department at our College is thinking of purchasing a DNA sequencer and would like to have suggested uses for it. Can any of you think of good reasons to know the DNA sequence of the mites infesting our bees? Or has this already been done and if so do you have the references? thanks :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2004 07:31:20 +1000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: T & M Weatherhead Subject: Re: DNA Sequence of Mites MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > Can any of you think of good reasons to know the DNA sequence of the mites infesting our > bees? Or has this already been done and if so do you have the references? You need to get in touch with Dr. Denis Anderson at CSIRO in Canberra Australia who did the original work on Varroa. He has also done work on Tropilaelaps and may also be doing work on other mites. Trevor Weatherhead AUSTRALIA :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 19:19:54 -0500 Reply-To: jfischer@supercollider.com Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: James Fischer Organization: Bedford Advanced Technology Test Lab Effort Subject: Re: DNA Sequence of Mites You may want to talk to Dr. Yanping Chen, (chenj@ba.ars.usda.gov) and/or Mark Feldlaufer (feldlaum@ba.ars.usda.gov), who runs the Beltsville Bee Lab. Dr. Chen has done some impressive PCR work on not only mites, but the viruses transmitted by mites, between mites (via the bees they parasitize), and thereby to bees. The mites themselves are really nowhere near as nasty, or as interesting as the viruses. People have been blaming the mites for years for what may turn out to be 90% "viruses" and 10% "direct mite damage". If anyone has valuable views on what work would move the ball towards the goal, it would be this team. Here's their maling address: Bee Research Laboratory 10300 Baltimore Ave Bldg 476 BARC-East Beltsville, MD 20705 Phone: (301) 504-8749 Fax: (301) 504-8736 jim :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 19:56:32 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: "h.morton@worldnet.att.net" Subject: Creamed Honey with Fruit Added Recently while visiting the Washington state I purchased blackberry cramed honey. Yes, blackberries had been added to creamed honey during processing. The seller was a beekeeper but could not give me the recipe/his process. Does anyone have a recipe/process for creaming honey and adding berries/fruit. This beekeeper had several berries and fruits added to his creamed honies. Thanks in advance for you response!! :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2004 07:27:59 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Mike Subject: Re: Creamed Honey w/ Added Fruit In-Reply-To: <200403260500.i2Q4AchP024218@listserv.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit H. Morton wrote: "Does anyone have a recipe/process for creaming honey and adding berries/fruit." I don't have a recipe but two processes come to mind. 1. Puree your fruit in a blender and add to the creamed honey. Proportions would be determined through trial and error. 2. Process your fruit as you would to prepare for jelly. Once the fruit is prepared, without adding any additional ingredients, cool the mixture and add to the creamed honey. Again, proportions would be determined through trial and error. In both cases, in addition to testing for taste, samples should be put up for storage and the best mixture which withstands the rigors of storage would be the method of choice. Mike Located 1/2 way between Montgomery and Mobile, AL :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2004 09:59:57 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Lloyd Spear Subject: Wax/Honey Separator MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit John asks "What kind of separator are others using under a Cowan? Mine melts the wax and runs it out a pipe, the honey level is controlled and runs out another pipe." I use the Kelley Separator, and love it! It is designed so that the honey comes out cool, so can be added to your extracted honey, and makes a beautiful yellow cake! Unfortunately, it is relatively expensive. In the current catalog it is $125 for the melter and another $68 for the separator. I use two separators, but have found that one is all that is really needed. Used models are occasionally available on EBay, but go for almost as much as a new model! Under the Cowan uncapper, one really needs an uncapping tank to hold the cappings and drain them (properly made, the tank's floor slopes away from the uncapper) as well as a set of rails to hold the uncapped combs. The set of rails needs to hold at least enough frames to fill the extractor. Thus the number of frames to fill your extractor determines the length of the uncapping tank. I bought my uncapping tank from Maxant, but similar tanks are sold by several dealers. An uncapping tank is such a useful tool that they almost never appear on EBay! Lloyd Lloyd Spear, Owner Ross Rounds, Inc. Manufacturers of Ross Rounds Comb Honey Equipment, Sundance Pollen Traps and Custom Printer of Sundance Labels. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2004 08:13:23 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Peter John Keating Subject: Re: Creamed Honey with Fruit Added MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Here in Quebec many beekeepers make various creamed honeys with fruit. They also make mustard and sauce mixtures. All the recipes are "trade secrets"! The honey is creamed with the aid of a special blender/mixer and a cold room. I do know that the fruit has to have a lower moisture content than the honey. I do know that for blueberries they use a fruit paste. The rest as l said is a closely guarded recipe! Because of the fierce competition in the retail markets, some beekeepers often cannot work together as producers - sad. Peter :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2004 09:19:37 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: "Dr. Pedro Rodriguez" Subject: Re: BEE-L Digest - 24 Mar 2004 to 25 Mar 2004 (#2004-86) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Re: DNA of mites Also, you may wish to talk to Dr. Pilar de la Rua, University of Murcia, Spain. Dr. de la Rua is well known internationally for her work on DNA. Please let me know if you can not get her e-mail address readily. Best regards and God bless. Dr. Pedro Rodriguez __________________________________________________________________ Introducing the New Netscape Internet Service. Only $9.95 a month -- Sign up today at http://isp.netscape.com/register Netscape. Just the Net You Need. New! Netscape Toolbar for Internet Explorer Search from anywhere on the Web and block those annoying pop-ups. Download now at http://channels.netscape.com/ns/search/install.jsp :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2004 10:07:49 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Lloyd Spear Subject: Adding fruit to creamed honey MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Morton said "Yes, blackberries had been added to creamed honey during processing. The seller was a beekeeper but could not give me the recipe/his process." There is a company in Washington (state) that makes fruit-flavored creamed honey and ships it all over the US. I can't remember its name, but perhaps it is the same one. Making fruit flavored creamed honey is not rocket science and one dealer now stocks the fruit and sends directions with every order. Moreover, they make and sell hundreds (maybe, thousands) of pounds of flavored creamed honey a year, so they know what they are talking about. The dealer is Mid-Con Agri Marketing. http://www.mid-conagri.com/. 800-547-1392. Email to Joli@sbcglobal.net. This is dried fruit, not 'flavoring', and most certainly not whole (fresh) fruit. One of the best creamed honey made with their fruit is blackberry! A mistake made time and time again, and which sometimes gives honey a bad name, is to add whole (fresh) fruit. Unless the honey has a very low moisture content (so it will barely flow) fresh fruit should not be added as it may bring the moisture content above the magical 18%, and fermentation may occur. In fact, near here (Albany NY) we have a beekeeper who insists on selling honey packed with whole fruit. This initially makes a very attractive package, but I have frequently found it in stores that is discolored to the point of being ugly and has the telltale layer on top that speaks of fermentation. Of course, the same thing happens with jars bought and kept in pantries or on kitchen tables. Hope this helps, Lloyd Lloyd Spear, Owner Ross Rounds, Inc. Manufacturers of Ross Rounds Comb Honey Equipment, Sundance Pollen Traps and Custom Printer of Sundance Labels. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 08:09:05 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Rick Drutchas Subject: Canadian Honey MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Is it true that Canadian honey is not being sold in Europe because it is = contaminated with GM pollen? :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 09:49:49 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: TxBeeFarmer Organization: The Little ~ Coldiron Farm Subject: Re: Uncapping machines MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I modified my Maxant chain uncapper with the modifications outlined at beesource.com - actually had Maxant make it for me. It's much better, but still a bit touchy and still tends to uncap on side more than the other, and mixes/whips way too much wax and air with the honey. I think there must be better machines out there. The hand cranked Handyman Uncapper from Cowan looks promising. (West Texas) Mark :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 20 Mar 2004 17:21:55 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Gilles and Lee-Ann Organization: Turtle River Apiaries Subject: Re: Canadian Honey MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > Is it true that Canadian honey is not being sold in Europe because it is contaminated with GM pollen? > > I think that honey produced in Canada from canola of which most is genetically modified has lost a great deal of market in Europe. It has always been easier to sell to the US. I have asked various brokers why more honey isn't sold to Europe and the answer is usually that the buyers are very stringent on testing the honey to the point of making it virtually impossible to satisfy the importers. They will try to find any excuse to reduce the offered price so by the time you recieve payment, you would be better off selling in North America. Much less hassel! One broker told me that foreign honey will be tested for any possible trace of contaminants while at the same time, not test their own honey so as not to find any probable contaminants it may hold. Unfortunately, the world has become polluted, the greater the population, the greater the pollution. No matter how hard you try to keep chemicals out of your food, you still have to breath the air, and it has enough toxins that would make any canadian honey look pure. Gilles :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 17:11:52 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Anna Browder Subject: Super for pollen Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" ; format="flowed" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit I am an inexperienced beekeeper in Rhode Island, zone 6, with one hive. Yesterday was 60° and sunny, so I opened up my hive; took off the top medium super, which held a jar of sugar syrup and some fondant, and looked at the medium super below, which had held half filled frames that I had given back to my bees last fall when I took honey. The frames had been emptied of honey, but here and there the bees were filling cells with pollen. There were also a few capped brood cells. In the deep brood super below that one, all the frames were covered with bees, and I could see plenty of larva, both capped and uncapped. Although I have another medium and another deep below, I decided to wait for another day to continue my inspection as I did not want to stress the brood (chill it). I am sure I have a laying queen. My question is, since the workers were storing pollen in the top super, should I leave it in place? We don't have much nectar yet, but crocus and witch hazel are in bloom. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::