From MAILER-DAEMON Sat Feb 28 09:36:44 2009 Return-Path: <> X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.1.8 (2007-02-13) on industrial X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-93.4 required=2.4 tests=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 6500A48991 for ; Sat, 28 Feb 2009 09:35:38 -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 n1SEFvLU013111 for ; Sat, 28 Feb 2009 09:35:38 -0500 (EST) Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2009 09:35:36 -0500 From: "University at Albany LISTSERV Server (14.5)" Subject: File: "BEE-L LOG0504C" To: adamf@IBIBLIO.ORG Message-ID: Content-Length: 30918 Lines: 681 ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 19:52:43 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Dick Allen Subject: Re: Beeswax production from sugar MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit In their book “Beeswax” Coggshall & Morse mention wax production has been tried. Here’s a short quote: “Some years ago a temperature and humidity controlled room was built to try to force artificial swarms fed sugar syrup to produce and discard wax scales instead of using them to build comb (Coggshall, unpublished). This proved to be a frustrating experience for bees and experimenter alike. The low humidity required to help the bees get rid of water without resorting to flight caused crystallization of sugar syrup no matter how it was fed. From this experience it was concluded that efficient forced production using caged bees was impractical. We have serious doubts that beekeepers will ever be able to increase the wax production of their colonies in any practical way.” Regards, Dick Allen :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 14:28:54 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Dave Cushman Subject: Re: Beeswax production from sugar In-Reply-To: <200504142352.j3ENNokM006142@listserv.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi all If increased production of cappings wax is required, you can achieve it using special thin honey frames that are only 18 mm wood parts, spaced on 26 mm centres. First get the foundation part drawn on normal spacing, then put the frames into a box with specially made castellated spacers at the narrow spacing. The bees will continue to draw the cells and store honey until they have only just enough space to work, then they will cap the cells whatever depth they are. Trim the cappings off the frames and allow any drips to drain, but do not fully extract the honey. Put the part filled frames back again and the bees will re-fill and re-cap the frames fairly quickly. By repeating this process regularly you can obtain large amounts of cappings wax. I have done this under UK conditions to generate beeswax for making cutting lubricants and polishing compounds. OK it is a bit labour intensive, but the ratio of wax to honey is changed dramatically in favour of the wax. Regards & Best 73s, Dave Cushman, G8MZY http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman or http://www.dave-cushman.net Fall Back M/c, Build 5.02 (stable) :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 12:48:08 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Mike Randell Subject: wood sections Hello all; We have been producing a few cases a year of comb sections in the old style 4" X 5" sections. These are not the 'beeway' sections, but the straight sided old fashioned basswood sections. We have used up nearly all of the section stock we had on hand from the days when we produced 100-150 cases a year, and I cannot find a supplier for these sections. Does anyone have a contact or supplier for these? Mike Randell, in the sunny Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada p.s. yes, I know Ross Rounds are a)better b)easier c)available, but I like to do things the hard way. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 14:43:55 -0400 Reply-To: bee yard Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: bee yard Subject: Re: wood sections In-Reply-To: <200504151648.j3FGWGlh009945@listserv.albany.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Greetings! Try this site: http://www.beezneezapiary.com/catalog/COMB_HONEY_EQUIPMENT___SUPPLIES.html Also,do a google search Greetings! Try this site: Herb/Norma Bee www.mainebee.com "Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so." Douglas Adams On 4/15/05, Mike Randell wrote: > Hello all; > > We have been producing a few cases a year of comb sections in the old style > 4" X 5" sections. These are not the 'beeway' sections, but the straight > sided old fashioned basswood sections. We have used up nearly all of the > section stock we had on hand from the days when we produced 100-150 cases a :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 07:24:18 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Andrew Dewey Subject: spring brood nest management MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Ah the joys of spring! I got into my hives yesterday while the bees were busy bringing in pollen and they couldn't have cared less about what I was doing. My primary mission was cleaning off bottom boards, doing a quick assessment of how the bees were doing, and replenishing candy boards where needed. [I have two hive top feeders with syrup out, but the bees aren't taking it. They are all over the candy though!] In the course of this I noticed several hives that had bees on the middle three or four frames evenly distributed between the bottom and top deep. In another ten days or so I'll be doing a real manipulation - and I'm wondering if I should "rebuild" the brood nest into one box. I looked in the Hive & the Honey Bee and it really didn't speak to this. Can someone point me to a publication or web resource on brood nest reorganization? Thanks so much for your help! Andrew (11 of 14 hives made it through the winter on the coast of Maine, somewhat north of Bill T.) :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 06:39:02 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Steve Bonine Subject: New test for resistant mites ... is it new? In-Reply-To: <006f01c4ba03$350c4000$3fb85ad1@Nemo> Mime-Version: 1.0 (Apple Message framework v622) Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit At http://www.ars.usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=1261 I read about a new test for Varrora "resistance to the pesticides coumaphos and fluvalinate." It sounds like a modified sugar roll. "The ARS scientists' bioassay is intentionally low-tech. Its main parts include glass canning jars in which to contain honeybees, mesh lids through which mites on the bees can fall out and be counted, and index cards that hold strips of either coumaphous or fluvalinate." I was surprised that there hadn't been any discussion of this here on Bee-L. Has anyone used this method? Seems like a good idea to find out if treatments are going to work before attempting them. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 09:12:47 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Bill Truesdell Subject: Re: spring brood nest management In-Reply-To: <200504181124.j3IBON7D068409@pan.gwi.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Andrew Dewey wrote: >In the course of this I noticed several hives that had bees on the middle >three or four frames evenly distributed between the bottom and top deep. In >another ten days or so I'll be doing a real manipulation - and I'm wondering >if I should "rebuild" the brood nest into one box. > > > On this list, there have been several discussions on reversing, pro or con, but one thing just about all agree on is to leave the brood nest alone if it is in both hive bodies. If you reverse, you split the brood nest. If you try to make it into one body, you are almost doing the same, splitting the brood nest into the top and bottom of one hive body. When you split the brood nest you are making it harder for the bees to cover the brood and will probably chill some brood and lose those bees. It would not be quite as bad as reversing, but would still be detrimental. You want every bee you can get during early spring buildup, since that will lead to a strong hive in dandelions and clover. April in Maine is not a good time for bees or flowering trees since we can get cold or freezing weather which chills brood and blossoms. The end of this week may bring some freezing nights. I would wait until 70F to do any extensive manipulation. Monday and Tuesday might meet that criteria. Not sure what we will have in ten days. At this time, I would leave them alone and just do general housecleaning. My 2 cents. Bill Truesdell Bath, Maine :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 09:57:36 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: James Ireland Subject: Frames covered and queens In-Reply-To: <4263B24F.2050007@suscom-maine.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed What would be the minimum number of frames covered by bees 2-3 weeks prior to the main spring honey flow?. I seem to have a majority of hives with 12-15 deep frames covered, but one hive with 20 deep and 40 medium frames covered. I also have 3 hives with only 6 medium frames covered. All have been medicated the same (for varroa and tracheal mites) with the exception of the large one and it has not been treated in 2 years. They are set up so that drifting rarely occurs, if at all. No other variations known. All were fed sugar solution from the end of January on, again with the exception of the large hive. The large hive is extremely aggressive and is the only one that has stung me this year. It does so 4-5 times/week. They start bumping as soon as I am within 20 feet or so. I always work them last, by which time there are usually several hundred guard bees out on the front covering the entrance. I am not in an AHB area but I do think that the aggressive tendency of this hive may have aided its success. No mites detected in it so far this season. I am wondering if I should be combining my intermediate hives to increase my honey yield this year and yet I do not want to if it is not necessary. I can't imagine the smaller ones producing honey this year and so will just work to build them up this year. I will likely raise a few queens from my large hive this year but do no want an aggressive bee yard. So after all that- my 2 questions are: 1.) Should I combine my medium hives to make them stronger? 2.) Does anyone know of anyone in the US who raises great cordovan italians? Thanks, James :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 09:46:17 -0400 Reply-To: scot@linuxfromscratch.org Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Scot Mc Pherson Organization: Bradenton Bees Subject: Re: spring brood nest management In-Reply-To: <200504181130.j3IBMBra018292@listserv.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >>>>>In the course of this I noticed several hives that had bees on the middle three or four frames evenly distributed between the bottom and top deep. This is quite normal for bees to do. The cluster will move upwards as winter progresses. The bees eat the stores as they move up. When the colony is ready to start brooding, the queen will lay in the cluster. The cluster is usually still up high when this occurs and so that's where she lays if the comb is suitable. >>>>>In another ten days or so I'll be doing a real manipulation - and I'm wondering if I should "rebuild" the brood nest into one box. You can do either, but many people are enjoying the benefits of an UnlimitedBroodNest which is what you have the beginnings of. Since the bee move up and down the column of the hive, the queen will lay in the center of all the boxes. You can often get a lot more bees for the honey flow this way and people have been enjoying increased honey flow production because of this. When an UnlimitedBroodNest becomes genuinely mature, you generally leave 2 or 3 deeps (or the equivilent volume in mediums) on for thw hole season, winter included. If you really like to get into the hives, and harvest as much honey as you can, then you can pull the honey combs from the sides of each box if they haven't laid it up with brood. They very often leave 2 frames on either side of the brood as honey stores only. Or if you like to leave the bees with something, leave the honey there alone and just harvest from the top, which is where the honey will go if you leave the honey below alone. If you choose to pull honey from the sides, you will always be pulling honye from the sides, because that is where the bees are going to put it first before they put it above (in a mature ULBN). Its your choice, depends on what you want to do. I would leave them as they are, and put a super on top if they are ready for it, and just harvest what you get this season, next winter leave another chamber of winter stores on top, and you may have yourself a 3 chamber UnlimitedBroodNest which many ULBN beekeepers believe is ideal. Its all up to you. I thinkt he bees will be more productive if you give them their space which they developed the way they and nature intended. Scot Mc Pherson Bradenton Bees http://beewiki.linuxfromscratch.org http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/OrganicBeekeepers/ mailto:scot@linuxfromscratch.org . ` , ` ' .,';`,. ``. '. _/^\_ :;.,';`'.,` `., ' '`, /_____\ .:.,"'` /\_____/\ .,:`'" \###/.,';` :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 16:54:34 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Bill Ruzicka Subject: trachea mites The only known and verified substances that will kill trachea are menthol, formic acid and from pesticides amitraz and only when it is used in a fumigation method. All other claims are here say or may bees lacking in scientific documentation. Bill Ruzicka Bill's Honey Farm - Home of the MiteGone Formic Acid Treatment 2910 Glenmore Road North Kelowna, British Columbia, CANADA Tel: 1-250-762-8156 (The best way to reach me is by phone Pacific Time) Fax: 1-250-763-1206 Email: billruzicka@mitegone.com (Goes through my secretary during office hours only) Website: www.mitegone.com :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 22:52:59 +0100 Reply-To: Phil Moore Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Phil Moore Subject: Balling of Queen MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I wonder if anyone can help, I introduced five queens last week = Thursday. Checked today Two accepted one obviously queenless (fanning = bees,no eggs or sign of queen). The other two were balling the queen as I opened the hive today. I made up the nucs from young bees introduced in the travelling cages. = All the bees shaken off frames and placed over queen excluder to bring = up young bees. When I found the queens being balled I put them in travelling boxes and = left them in the nuc the exit hole to the cage blocked with wax. I was = going to go back tomorrow or the next day to fill the exit hole with = fondant and attempt introduction again. What do you think? Regards Phil Moore :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 21:34:13 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: bob darrell Subject: Re: Frames covered and queens In-Reply-To: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed Mime-Version: 1.0 (Apple Message framework v553) Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit On Monday, April 18, 2005, at 10:57 AM, James Ireland wrote: > I will > likely raise a few queens from my large hive this year but do no want > an > aggressive bee yard. > So after all that- my 2 questions are: > 1.) Should I combine my medium hives to make them stronger? > 2.) Does anyone know of anyone in the US who raises great cordovan > italians? > Thanks, > James > Hi James You dont say where you are, but appear to be in the southern US. My answer for your big nasty hive is split the devil out of it. I use queen cells from a reliable breeder with 2 frames of brood and 2 frames of food per split. If done early enough(end of May here), you will have a producing hive in time for the main flow(mid July here). Dont raise queens from that hive unless you want several more nasties. Instead of combining weak hives, split them as above. Bob Darrell Caledon Ontario Canada 80west44north :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 11:59:19 +1000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: queenbee Subject: Re: New test for resistant mites ... is it new? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=response Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > At http://www.ars.usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=1261 I read about a new > test for Varrora "resistance to the pesticides coumaphos and > fluvalinate." The above address comes up with an article on milk. Any idea what the correct address is? Trevor Weatherhead AUSTRALIA :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 23:11:11 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Aaron Morris Subject: Re: New test for resistant mites ... is it new? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > The above address comes up with an article on milk. The URL was correct, the article changed. The article described the Pettis test to assess resistance to fluvalinate (it can also be used to examine coumophos resistance). Skip the middleman. See: http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/apiculture/factsheets/224_pettistest.pdf :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 20:06:07 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Keith Malone Subject: Re: Frames covered and queens MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi James & All, > I will > likely raise a few queens from my large hive this year but do no want > an > aggressive bee yard. > In my opinion, I think at this stage in the game of developing a localized strain of bees that will survive in your location without treatments would be to go ahead and raise and mate queens from this strong survivor you have presently. Later in the game you can select for gentleness. I would not lose this genetic treasure that is surviving strong without chemicals. The bees need survival to be their top priority and not what the beekeeper feels is best for the beekeeper. Like Mike P. in Vermont says "Bees make better Beekeepers than Beekeepers make Bees." What I mean to say is, follow the bees not the beekeepers. It is being suggested that you kill this queen and replace her with another queen; the new queen may not have the same survivor qualities and a true treasure can be lost at a loss to the beekeeper. If you do throw out this queen toss her my way gently and I will treasure her. Mike P., I hope you do not mind me using your quote, it seems to me to apply. . .. Keith Malone, Chugiak, Alaska USA, http://www.cer.org/, c(((([ , Apiarian, http://takeoff.to/alaskahoney/, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/akbeekeepers/ , http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Norlandbeekeepers/ , http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ApiarianBreedersGuild/ :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 09:36:06 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Bill Truesdell Subject: Re: trachea mites In-Reply-To: <200504182054.j3IKqEdB015826@listserv.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Bill Ruzicka wrote: >The only known and verified substances that will kill trachea are menthol, >formic acid and from pesticides amitraz and only when it is used in a >fumigation method. All other claims are here say or may bees lacking in >scientific documentation. > > Just a cursory google search has many more methods. As far as killing Tracheal or Varroa, I think control is a better word. Lots of things kill the mites, even Apistan and cumophose kill resistant mites, just not enough. Even the ones cited do not kill all the mites but do get up into the 90% range so you have them under control. Grease patties do not kill but do control and is well documented. Here are a couple of sites that give additional methods of documented control. http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/acarinetreatment.html http://www.honeycouncil.ca/users/folder.asp?FolderID=1142 http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/varroa2.htm Bill Truesdell Bath, Maine :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 11:43:50 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: James Ireland Subject: Strong hive and number of frames covered In-Reply-To: <42650946.7050203@suscom-maine.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed I appreciate the information and recommendations from everyone on my strong hive. I was called out to remove a swarm of bees from some conveyor belt supports in a rock quarry 2-3 summers ago and got enough bees to cover 2 deep frames. The majority of the swarm was crushed in the equipment which continued to operate the entire time I was there. The mother of the queen in my strong hive came with that swarm. They are small black bees, as are most of mine. I never planned to not treat them for mites, it just happened. I ordered enough meds for the hives I had and then picked up some more swarms. That swarm built up so fast that I decided to take a chance on it. The next year the same thing happened, only this time the hive was much bigger than my other ones and so it was an easy decision to let them go without meds. I moved the mother to a weak hive in the fall and let the original hive raise a new queen. The hive the mother was moved to did well until midwinter when some kids knocked over 4 of my hives, including that one. I was out of town and when I came back, Arkansas had had temps in the high teens to low 20's for 6 days and the hive had died. They had still been fairly small going into winter. I can live with the aggression but there are people around that I do not want to get hurt (a lot of trespassers on 4 wheelers primarily). However, the idea of having strong hives is obviously nice. Are my other hives small for Arkansas this time of year? 12-15 deep frames of bees with 8-10 frames of brood 5-7 days ago? Anyone know? Thanks, James :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 19:46:40 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: john i Subject: Re: New test for resistant mites ... is it new? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; x-mac-type="54455854"; x-mac-creator="4D4F5353" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I have a maxant 3100 and I would like to convert it to a smooth reel to hold more medium frames. Any suggestions? Thanks, John Ingle SF Bay Area Bee keeper :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2005 07:32:21 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Bob Harrison Subject: NBC beekeeping industry story MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello All, The NBC news story on current beekeeping industry "tens of thousands of hives crashing" is scheduled to air either tonight or Friday at six thirty to seven PM ET. on nightly news with Brian Williams. Please email other interested beekeepers not on BEE-L! Thanks in advance! Sincerely, Bob Harrison :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::