George, any chance your hives became africanized? You mention one "survivor" was a strong "hot" hive. I don't know where in Florida you are or whether africanized honey bees had arrived in your area by the time in question, but absconding is a trait of africanized bees. One might even assume africanized bees arrived in Florida before they were generally acknowledged to be a problem there. Did you have marked queens and did you keep track of them? George- ---------------------- George Fergusson Whitefield Maine -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info ---