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I agree, I have some 13 3/4 covers from Dadant that do not fit my Mann lake boxes.

For a few years now after removing my honey supers in mid August I begin oav about every five days or so depending on weather and my other responsibilities and continue until the end of October and...

I use metal and clean them with a hive tool I have never tried plastic.

I think next year I will try the blow torch.

Well I more or less agree with Arnie but I would treat every 4 days from now until the wearher prevents it regardless of the drop count or until I got zero drops.

Well my bees are in Michigan I wrapped my first year and had moisture issues. I have not wrapped since and have not lost a hive over winter. I do use foam under the top cover on some and quilt boards...

I don’t think the OP claimed he was a scientist simply a beekeeper sharing an experience that he thought others might find interesting.

If you google pollen color chart there several listed.

Try pollen.com you can get a local report.

My hive stand configuration does not allow me to use the type of scale MP uses but I do weigh my hives and have for the last five years. I use a digital game scale to weigh front and back then add...

As rwlaw suggested the first thing you need to do is check for swarm cells. If you find capped cells than there is a good chance they swarmed. Look for the queen if you can not find her then you need...

Commercial fume boards also are made to be warmed by the sun and hasten the evaporation of the fumigate. I use them because they work well.

I think JWP gave you good advice. Buy two mated queens and split your hive while you still have time. If you still have a queen which appears unlikely the queens will sort things out.

Great tip. Thank you.

I use two days minimum, I not only want to kill the brood but also wax moth and beetle eggs or larva. When laying worker hives dwindle they are not able to protect the hive as well.

I shake the bees off the frames and freeze them before returning them to a hive.

I agree. I made my box extra deep so as not to damage queen cells.

The op asked in the opening post whether or not he should tear down capped queen cells or not some of us believe keeping them is the best choice. I think LJ agrees.

I would use the swarm cells they give you a minimum of tens days head start and that equals a lot of bees. Besides they usually make good queens.

I put a wad of wet burlap on top of my fuel as a filter.

I don’t know the answer to your question but am intrigued, later this spring I think I will do both checks at the same time and see what I get. My guess would be that the drone count should be higher...

MB gave the advice you requested but if it were me I would try to purchase a queen.

Try this phone number, it is for a North Carolina queen breeder, (252) 813-4726.

Why not just get a vail and use a seperate jacket that you know fits. There are many different vail configurations to choose from and you can vary your garments to suit the weather.

I had a swarm that left the hive in mid August, clustered at the top of a 30 foot spruce, drew comb on the branch and stayed until the weather killed them in November.

I may be wrong but I assumed that the OP is a hobbist like myself with only a few hives to manage. With only a limited number of colonies to treat I do not find OAV unmanageable and for the five...

I check and count mites before August to determine which of my hives control mites best, those I split from if I do splits but from August on I just treat. I want healthy winter bees and I expect...