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http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/plugged-in/2013/03/14/its-time-for-a-neonicotinoid-time-out/

Em... When they can't 'hold it' further than the end of the landing board? Most beekeepers limited to the observable, so there's my 0.112358132134 cents!

""It's concerning," said Jason Belden, an environmental toxicologist at Oklahoma State University. "We have limited toxicological data for a lot of these compounds."
Fungicides are contaminating the...

Complexity increases.

JBJ mentioned monitoring for longevity
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?277852-definition-of-quot-survivor-bees-quot&p=891767#post891767

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Declining bee populations pose threat to food crops in Alberta and around globe
An international study that involved the University of Calgary found that managed honey bees are...

I've been thinking for some time about the pros and cons of 2Q. I think I would do this and follow the UMD guidelines even though I'm in MO. Variables are that I don't know the specific breed of my...

Agreed. You can still borrow techniques or modifications from other hive styles as you see fit, such as foundationless frames. Chances are that the beekeeper you get your bees from uses langstroth...

“Sometimes,' said Pooh, 'the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.”
― A.A. Milne

I see some great feedback here, and we know a bit about your location, where you hope to get bees, as well as the likely equipment (either top bar or warre).

I'm familiar with top bar beekeeping,...

It sounds like she has good stock and it's not impolite to ask what the bee breed is, if known. She may say mix or mutt, which is fine if she has had good success keeping them. If she does say a...

You have an opportunity that many beekeepers would be envious of, maybe even Tom Seeley. Are you familiar with his book "Honeybee Democracy"?

Yes. Many would say even that is not necessary for the light colored mold (that looks like a fine dusting), suggesting the bees will clean it up. I just happened to notice that a hairdryer cleans...

Sheer curtains from your front window.... or from Goodwill... (and duct tape) in a pinch. Bees will come out of the hive if it's warm enough and they are being jostled around, even in the dark.

Hair dryer (...on high but not too close to the comb as to melt the wax)

My first thought is to find a local survivor stock of bees rather than mail-ordering bees from far away. You might have some nicely adapted local stock near you, and you might even consider swarm...

Common sense regarding balance suggests that top level predators are missing and so rat populations spike; top level predators are missing likely due to loss of habitat, loss of habitat is likely due...

http://www.ars.usda.gov/services/docs.htm?docid=2744&page=14

"Step 13: Eyes are purple on the 15th day.

The body is still white or slightly yellow, but some brown pigment appears in the...

Nothing personal Jim. My point remains the same, but you just got stuck with the hot potato.

I think the topic is worthy and not clutter, more mainstream than you might think rather than far left...

Ironically statements like this (regardless of the issue) are a huge red flag that imply that the 'answer' accepted by one person is good enough for 'many'.

This stuff only confuses the issue.

That would be my guess as well... from my perspective of the 2012 season here in MO. Some queens just stopped laying during the string of 100+ days. Spring was great, but it was a tough summer,...

A little honey (1-2 Tbl to 1 Gal): As I understand, bees take feed placed on top of the hive if they can 'smell?' it. I've been told they don't have a dance to describe locations less than 10' away...

It could be lack of moisture. Low temps can lock up water, and where I generally advocate screened bottoms to control excessive moisture (as well as mite drop), it was recently pointed out to me...

Could these be colonies that did not build up late in the season, as in a lack of longer lived winter bees?

What were your recent low temps? If you have very low temperatures, an open screened bottom, a high stand and... (no windbreak?). They may not have been able to keep warm, IMO. An empty deep box...