> They must have had mites for most of the last 20 years but haven't 
> succumbed yet.

An interesting hypothesis and one I hear often but one hard to prove.

Having taken a few of these hives apart ( many might remember the old VHS 
*how to *tape I sold on the net years ago documenting many bee removals) I 
find evidence of many swarms being in the space when the bees are claimed as 
being in the space for a long period of time.

 If you look carefully you can usually see the signs. Especially if the area 
is very large. In a large area many times the new swarm chooses to build a 
new nest instead of removing or rebuilding the past swarms nest.

I do not doubt there have been bees in the place 20 years. Only that 
decendents of the original swarm have been in the place *and* that there was 
not a period when the space was empty.

I would be interested if they ever remove the bees what you see in the 
space.

The swarm I last removed from a ladies horse barn wall showed obvious signs 
of being actually four different swarms over the five year period before she 
called and said the swarm had been in the wall for five years.

bob 

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