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I installed two new packages 5/11 after varroa wiped me out over the winter. One hive is doing great work with brood on three out of eight deep frames. The other shows no queen activity at all. ...

Right now they seem happy with the extra ventilation -- it's been 95 to 100 degrees for weeks. I kept the broken-off piece of wood. Guess I'll wait until they are inside the hive before I go at...

Ah -- the "solve all your problems" duct tape. I should have thought of that. Thanks!

I harvested honey from a shallow two weeks ago. I decided to check the two 8 frame deep brood boxes. Top one went smoothly. When I attempted to pry a frame out of the bottom brood box, I broke a...

I have two hives, both of which swarmed (I know, I know -- will do splits next spring to avoid). I witnessed swarming of one hive, and then figured out that the other had swarmed earlier -- probably...

Thanks. OK - I couldn't resist putting a hive box with frames on a couple of blocks, and a super with an open container of sugar water on top -- both under a screened cover. Don't have much hope...

I am in Piedmont area of North Carolina. We have had several days in the high 80s. Bees have been busy, and there have been traffic jams as they try to return to hive in late afternoon. I have...

Sometimes bees are just strange. I have two hives installed this spring next to each other. One has been bearding every day for a month (NC days in the high 90s), the other not very much at all. ...

Thanks for suggestions. I didn't get to look thoroughly to see if I could see the malfunctioning queen -- they were really wild, landing on my veil, etc -- my first clue that all was not right. The...

After losing both my hives this winter, I installed two packages two weeks ago. Queens were released four days later. On inspecting today, one hive is doing well with nice brood pattern started. ...

After a similar experience I would urge you to check the website for the Bee Research Lab in Beltsville. I had a local expert check my bottom board and was convinced that I just had bad luck due to...

There are no commercial farms, but several small operations where pesticides may be used. It's a problem for a small beekeeping hobbyist -- I want to go as chemical free as possible, but without a...

I won't be collecting honey this year, but for future reference, if you do a spring treatment, how long do you wait before putting honey super on to avoid fumagillin contamination?

Would you use Fumidil on new packages or wait 'til fall?

Results from Beltsville, MD lab:

2 year hive: 1.1 million nosema spores, 16 varrora mites (approx 200 bees sent)

1 year hive: 24 varrora mites (no nosema)

THIS IS A GREAT SERVICE!
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Thanks for the information on mite counts, and thanks to Michael for the advice regarding the tray. I took both trays in to let Jack Tapp (Busy Bee Apiary, Chapel Hill, NC) take a look. He agreed...

I am hoping research lab will tell me whether mites were a problem. If so I will definitely have to start a prevention program. As a hobbyist, I was hoping to avoid chemicals but, you're right,...

When I did full fall inspection I was suspicious of queen in new hive. I had two full brood boxes in late summer, but they had moved into upper brood box leaving bottom one empty. However, more...

Thanks for information on Bee Researtch Lab. This is probably the best route to follow. I am sending samples today. I also have contacted State bee inspector to see whether he would be able to...

Hi Mike: The second year hive was from a split (from a friend) with a Minnesota hygienic queen. I had to requeen two months after I started with a new frame of brood (laying worker) and nursed this...

I don't think honey was the problem. Both hives should have had enough. When I dismantled things yesterday there were several full frames with a few bees on frames with honey -- not "end up" to...

Thanks. I have photos and dead bees! I will give it a try.

dvw

http://s893.photobucket.com/albums/ac138/dvwilson/bees%20winter2011/

Lost two hives three weeks apart in NC Triangle area. Entrance reducer on, unusually cold nights (in the teens) with...

Lost one (new) hive three weeks ago, and lost my big (2-years) hive today.
Temp is 56 and I noticed no bees were flying. Sounds like your hive -- dead bees on bottom board, fair amount of honey...

I have two hives, one two years old from which I harvested 35 lbs of honey earlier this year, and one first year. It's been really hot in NC this summer, so it's been about six weeks since I...