Michael Palmer wrote: > Not knowing where you are, it is difficult to say how to proceed. This is > what I do. I'm sorry, I forgot that little detail. I'm in Florida, near Gainesville. Thanks for your suggestions. I can see the becoming a routine since I really do not want these hives to swarm ever. Re-queening with a "store bought" queen would prevent me from developing a local genetic strand that over time might deal better with the local conditions and levels of mites, SHBs etc. Accordingly, would it be better to kill the queen every fall and let the hive make a new one? Otto :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::