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We get our share of wind here (lower michigan). Since I am a belt and suspenders kind of guy, I put two earth anchors next to each of my two hives and secured them to the ground. There is enough...

Some studies show it works. Some show no effect. This could be a case of, it works for some situations and people, but not others.

In normal doses, the risk is virtually zero. I would think it...

My two new hives from Wolf Creek Apiary are doing well. I do an inspection every two weeks, give or take. The bees seem very calm about the whole thing.

One is in a top bar hive, the other a...

It has been reported in enough places that are reputable, that I will pass this on. Vitamin B-1. Even the cheap stuff from Wal-Mart.

Here's a reference:
...

1. It will cost money. Millions of dollars by the time they go to all the various meetings and fill out all the reports and paperwork.

2. We just don't have the money. Maybe the feds should...

For one thing, used hives always carry the specter of disease. Some of the spores last for a decade or more.

finest regards,

troy

OK, I'll stick with sugar sampling.

The reason I asked is I have a couple of usb "microscopes" that give pretty decent resolution, and I occasionally spy on the bees through little ports that I...

I am familiar with the sugar sampling method, the alcohol (or ether) method, ,the 24 hour sticky board method, and the brood method.

If one were to photograph 100 bees entering/leaving the hive,...

If conditions are favorable, what is the latest you will split?

finest regards,

troy

I am not prepared to dismiss the work of Dee Lusby and her husband. I like her protocol and methods better than the cited studies.

Ditto M. Bush.

Finest regards,

troy

The study often cited for "small cell doesn't help with varoa" is by Jennifer A. Berry, William B. Owens, and Keith S. Delaplane.

Their protocol was to mix up a mess of bees from a mess of hives...

" you will have air space this space will condense moisture no way around it."

That all depends on a number of factors. There is air space and air movement between the two panes of glass in a...

At some point, you should do some basic heat loss calculations. Until you do that, you don't really know how much insulation you need to make heating and/or cooling possible, affordable and...

If you do the biggest do-it-yourself kit of 2 part polyurethane closed cell spray foam, that works out to $12 per cubic foot of installed foam, assuming you do a perfect job and it's the perfect...

Shipping containers are a bit narrow. Nothing you can't work with, but it can affect your choice of materials.

Icynene is open cell foam, so water vapor can pass through it. You have to use a very...

I would be happy to chat about your conex shipping container insulation ideas at your convenience. I'll send you a pm.

troy

Solomon, I agree there are a lot of things done in bee keeping with no real evidence for doing it or not doing it.

For my day job, I'm an eye doctor. But my "hobby" for the last 20 years is...

I appreciate the input Sol, well really, all the input.

If temperature and humidity control is a waste of time, why do many northern beeks wrap their hives every winter??

Finest regards,

troy

Excellent, good start.

troy

I'm starting two hives this spring in the banana belt of Michigan (the southernmost edge, right along indiana).

Obviously, I'm interested in staying treatment free.
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I've read the usual books...