From: Joe Waggle <joe9360@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2001 11:03:29 -0700 (PDT)
To: BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Reduce or not Reduce? and other questions

Hello all,

Last year the mites reached a high level of
infestation here in western Pennsylvania, combined
with the unusually long cold spell in January have
virtually wiped out all of the feral honeybees. Most
beekeepers in my area have suffered losses of 50% to
100%.

I'm new to your Biological Beekeeping Group.I
have been keeping bees for about 10 years and I find
that I gain the most knowledge just by corresponding
with other beekeepers. I have many questions about
practices that I have adopted (and if they may be good
or not) this year to try in increase mite tolerance
and winter survival rate in bees kept in my area.

My beekeeping goal I have set this year is a
simple one. Finding ways to increase my winter
survival rate and suppressing mites in my bees.Over
the winter I lost 100% of my hives so I'll start with
winter survival first.

1. To increase ventilation in the winter, year round
and to reduce moisture. I have done the following:

To cut down on the tall grass around the hives I
placed old rubber backed rugs extending out around the
hives. Makes mowing easier too.

Placed hives in full sunlight up on 12 inch
blocks to get them higher off the cold damp ground and
above most snow that falls in my area.

With temperature averaging about 35 degrees F in
the winter and frequently reaching -20 F I have always
used a reducer. But Beekeepers in my area are
suggesting I not use a reducer and just a mouse guard.
They claim that during warm days in the winter too
much moisture builds up in the hives. I've noticed on
days when the temp drops below freezing some bees will
fall to the bottom board even with a reducer. How can
they survive a winter without reducing the entrance at
all? Reduce or not Reduce what should I do?

Some Beekeepers in my area are blaming last
years winter die off in this area on a warm 69 degree
day in January followed by a cold -10 degree night
they claim the bees couldn't get back into a cluster
fast enough and froze to death. I don't buy into that
theory. I always debate the matter. How could
honeybees with thousands of years of evolution in
northern climates be wiped out by a simple fluctuation
in temperature? And I back that up by asking why
didn't all you hives in your apiary die? There has to
be other factors at play here. What do you all think?

2.To try in increase mite tolerance I have done
following:

I bought mite resistant Russians and took nukes
from colonies that survived the winter untreated for
mites.

I've noticed that when one hive in an apiary
has mites they all do. While at another remote apiary
I have had remained mite free for years. I belive mite
infested bees must be drifting quite often within the
apiary. To try an limit this I spaced my hives 6 feet
apart (I think about 2 meters?) and painted a design
or shape on the front of each hive to make it more
identifiable for returning bees. Might this help?

I have treated my bees with formic acid. Since
formic acid is a natural substance produced by some
ants for defense I have always considered it organic
in nature. And since it is naturally found in honey, I
have never assumed that I was contaminating my honey.
Would it be acceptable to use in keeping with the
Biological Beekeeping practices due to this fact?

Any suggestions to increase my winter survival
and on mite suppression?

Best regards,
Joe W