Jerry said;
>I have two hives that have propolised the entrance to a couple of bee sized
>entry holes.  Not something I have normally observed here...but I think
>both hives have at least some Russian genetics.

In the far north completely closing the bottom is common if given a top
entrance.

Slow day on BEE-L so will post a bit different human interest post:

I told my helper to close the bottoms but he objected which rarely happens
as he is has Asbergers. A form of autism which can manifest abilities on
certain subjects or not. In his case I have not seen an area in which he
excells but still hopeful.There is a new movie excels out about a boy with
Asbergers with unusual abilities..

 His family says his main interest in life is to help me with my projects
and follows blindly which is not what I am looking for in order to help the
boy.

When he makes a suggestion I ask myself "why not?" so I decided to run the
test his way with a small bottom opening for the bees. The idea when trying
to help an autistic person come out of their shell and show interest is too
listen  carefully their input. Has taken a few years to get the boy to the
stage he is now.

Actually to move past simply helping me do chores and looking at honeybees
as living creatures not to be feared but looked at in amazement took several
years. The boy came to me with a fear of bees as he was stung many times
when young by a nest of sand hill hornets when young.

My family (and doctors) do not want me working bees without my helper . So
we are together longer periods now each year. He has a drivers license but
is still uncomfortable driving a big bee truck but he could if he had to. he
has a cell phone and is a big enough boy to pick me up and put me in the
truck if need be. six foot three and 280 pounds of muscle in his late
twenties. His mental level is around a twelve year old.

He loves to talk about Batman & Spiderman and comic book heroes (which does
get old on a long day we are together).

He looks normal and the ladies are drawn to him with his jet black hair and
good looks but they change their minds quickly after a short conversation on
comic books and finding out he has absolutely no interest in women at all.

He doesn't like when we bring in other help (although he does not say so) .
Especially if they try and give him orders. He will say "Uncle Bob is boss!.
Uncle Bob is what most people working for me call me . The name goes back to
what many called me in my KC Teamster days. Mr. Harrison seemed so formal
and his family being very religious did not want him calling me Bob.

He attends church EVERY Sunday and never misses unless sick or a storm. He
does not work on Sunday .

He now tells people I am his uncle and bases his telling people I am his
uncle on the fact one year at Christmas his brothers and sisters gave my
wife and I a plague saying they were adopting us which made me his uncle.
His brothers & sisters have all worked for me at times but left the farm
when older.

Back to cleaning in my office. Through the year I accumulate paperwork which
needs filed or tossed.
I prefer to do my own books but a CPA looks over and figures the taxes.. I
like to look at what I spent money on last year and this year. I set the
budget for next year. Decide if there will be a next year in beekeeping.
Without my constant helper I would have completely retired a few years ago.

Fuel & feed are going up. Fuel is up .25 a gallon and expected to go further
as crude went up $8 a barrel last week.

Sugar is up 4 cents a pound wholesale in bulk and expected to go higher next
year.

Will be interesting to see if U.S. package & queen prices rise in 2011.
Packages delivered to the Midwest went up around $10 a package last year but
queen prices for the most part stayed the same. Looked for awhile like even
commercial beeks were going to have to pay $20 and up for mated queens but
the rise on queens stalled for the most part.

I purchased my first hives for $10 a hive. Queens for less than a dollar.

Another beekeeping year ends and another starts ( actually started last fall
for those paying attention!).

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison

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