Peter Borst wrote: > > > > "stress resulting from generally accepted beekeeping practices ... is > the real killer of domesticated honeybee colonies." > > Hello Peter and All, Stress has a negative affect on everything. Stress caused by moving bees will cause Varroa infested hives to die rapidly. About 6 years ago I put a post here about 30 hives I moved from the mountains down home and were dead in two weeks. The hives I still had in the same location in the mountains had Varroa but were alive. At that time I stated that the bees died from a stronger pathogen than just weak bees. Three years later it was published that Varroa vectored 3 virus. Stress will lower resistance to desease. Some beekeepers bang around in a hive as if they own the place. Its the bees home and they want to keep it under there control. We need to slow down and observe . I look at how the bees stand and move on the comb. The sound of a hive will tell you a lot. That is why we have been doing some sound work in a hive. Much more complicated than I ever imagined going into the project. Look at what they are trying to do in the box. If you keep changing what they want to do with your hands , it will be a never ending battle. If you keep getting bur comb between the box's , you have a space problem that the bees are trying to fix. Slow down and look , the bees will show you the way. Observation is your best tool.. I will be pulling honey today. That will cause some problems in my yards. Some hives are 7 high now and I have to get them down to 4 . So I'm faced with doing what I have to do and what the bees want.The bees would like me to stay in bed today. Plenty of stress today, even for me. Best Regards Roy > > > > > >