Olivarez bees

[Sundance]

Sundance, how are the Russians are far as gentleness,

Pure Russians can be testy, but my experience hasn't
been that they are hot. I am now using Russian X VSH
and they are pretty gentle.

I have the uncontrollable habit of wanting to just sit right along side my hives and watch them for hours on end.

Been there, done that, do that.

[jmgi]

Roland,

I have some survivors, a couple top bar hives of Italians that have made two winters now (I know thats not alot, but its a start) with absolutely no treatments of any kind, no extra insulation, nothing. They have also been among the tops in production even compared to my Langs. They made this nasty winter, so they must have something going for them. John

[Solomon Parker]

I have the uncontrollable habit of wanting to just sit right along side my hives and watch them for hours on end.John

I walk out to look at the hives every day. It turned into a big problem last year because of the chiggers in the trees where I kept them. I moved the hives and cut the trees down (some of them). Better year this year.

[jmgi]

I hear you, when I sit in my chair watching the bees, I get chiggers all over from the knees down. My chair sits in grass and weeds that get about a foot or so tall, a chigger heaven. I guess it must be worth it, I keep doing it every year. John

[beeup]

Picked up my 10 packages yesturday. Istalled them quickly due to cold weather. Queens look lively and healthy.