> it occurred to me that using the same amount of equipment that I have now, I could run three times as many hives. If the average honey yield was one third of what it is now, I would still produce the same amount of honey and with a lot less work.

I don't get where the less work comes in, Pete. Maybe you can elaborate.

I believe that it is pretty well established that one big colony will produce more honey than two or even three small ones. Certainly in my experience here that is the case. We have a long flow and normally do 3 and sometimes up to 5 pulls of 2 westerns each. That works out to 150 to 300 pounds per colony. Once the spring brood nest management is done in May I am not back in the brood nest until Sept. Barring some problem of course. So summer management is really down to super pulling, extracting and replacing with wet ones. It is true that big colonies are mite factories and fall control is necessary and ever more challenging. I can accept that as a varroa management concept the small swarmy colony has advantage but I don't see less work for the same honey. Would we be having this discussion if varroa were not with us? I also question winter survival here in the frozen north. I know that Ithaca ain't exactly tropical but I need 70 pounds of stored honey minimum to make it through the winter. That's not realistic in less than 2 deeps. I have tried wintering smaller colonies with poor success. Evan if they survive they are small and slow to build up in time for the early flow. As we are constantly reminded "all beekeeping is local".

I also question the effect so many swarms will have on "community relations". Evan in my deeply rural setting large numbers of swarms can cause concern among land owners and I can see an even greater problem in urban areas. Are not all of these collapsing sick swarms going to be varroa bombs?  So I believe we are back to varroa, more research is needed :-). I don't think Tom's method will solve the problem on an industry level, not to mention the almond scene. Also I am always fearful whenever I hear "natural, non treatment". Too many want that to mean easy or hands off and no good will come of that.  But as an interesting experiment it does have merit.

Paul Hosticka
Dayton WA 
 

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