On 24 Feb 97 at 11:28, David J Trickett wrote: Re: Drones in February?
 
> attrition to the point of being unviable - at which point the survivors froze.  In all cases these
> were young queens, going on their nuptial flights in late summer, and apparently laying reasonably
> well in the fall...  When I get a chance to check the rest of my hives (only 10 more) I will check
> for additional drones.
 
> One more point.  I have seen NO mites in any hives (living or dead).  I used liquid applications of
> peppermint oil per the instructions from Dr. Amrine.
 
Good News on one front but not the other! I would like to know where those
young queens came from? Were they 'store bought' or did you make them
yourself? You state 'apparently laying well in the fall', did you in fact
check, or did you assume? Can you remember what the weather was like
during mating, that's assuming you made them yourself.
        The signs all point to queen failure, possibly lack of mating quantity,
they ran out of semen! No brood replacement, then the hive will decline to
the point of no return.
 
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