You also can put your ear (the scientific conclusion if left or right ear is
not in yet) to the outside of the hive and judge by the sounds you hear the
state of health of your bees. You will soon gain experience at reading and
interpreting what you hear there.
-----Original Message-----
From: CSlade777 <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Sunday, 05 April, 1998 14:53
Subject: Re: HELP! abandon colony
>I would not open a hive at low temperatures except in an emergency. To
find
>out what is happening in your hives in the winter look at the debris that
has
>fallen onto your varroa floor. You will soon gain experience at reading
and
>interpreting what you find there.
>There is an excellent little book "At the Hive Entrance" by H.Storch which
>tells you how to know what happens inside the hive by observation on the
>outside.
>Chris Slade
>