Karen DeHond asks:

> 1.  One mentor wants to harvest about Labor Day, this is in upstate NY,
> frost hits about 9/29 most years.    I'm inclined to think we could wait a
> couple of weeks.

Harvesting on labor day skips the main fall flows of goldenrod and aster.
These can be quite heavy flows and are not particular goo honey for winter
stores as they are high in ash content.  However, harvesting these crops delays
your fall medications and many in these areas have adopted strategies of
shutting their bees down on Labor Day weekend.  I have some customers who wait
for aster honey, so I try to havest enough to keep those customers happy.
Asters laugh at frost, it takes a HARD freeze to shut them down.  But a problem
with harvesting aster is that it is a hard crop for the bees to cure properly
when the weather gets cool.  If the weather stays warm, asters can produce a
bumper crop.  If it gets cool you can end up with a lot of runny honey which
will ferment if not consumed quickly (great for mead!).  I have seen geese
migrating already, unusually(!) early for these parts.  If there's any
correlation we might expect an early winter.

> 2.  The other mentor says NEVER use Terramyacin.  If foul brood is present it
> won't work and otherwise it weakens the bees resistance.  ???
Ah, that one.  TM does work, it keeps AFB in check.  If it's not used the
beekeeper must be able to quickly diagnose AFB and immediately tend to
outbreaks by burning the equipment.  If on the other hand one chooses to use
TM, you must continue regular treatments to keep any AFB that may be present
under control.  TM does not cure AFB, never has, never will.

> 3.  Once the honey supers are removed, what keeps the bees from feeling
> crowded and starting to swarm?
Natural die off of foragers.  At first they WILL be crowded.  But this is the
time of year when populations are on the decline anyway.  Queen laying peaked
two months ago and has declined since.  There will be fewer new bees hatching
and the field force will be dwindling faster than the new bees that are
emerging.  The bees will take care of this on their own.

> 4.  When should I winterize the hives?
Mouse guards by 10/1.  The only other winter protection I use is an empty super
stuffed with straw to absorb water vapor.  Full details are in the archives.

> 5.  Of 11 hives 2 aren't too big, my thought is to leave them alone and see
> what spring brings, any ideas?
It's best to take your losses in the fall.  It's better management to combine
the weak ones with stronger hives in the fall than to clean up dead ones in the
spring.  Or you can attempt to overwinter the weak ones and see what the school
of hard knocks has to teach.  You may succeed and get a better personal gague
of what is and what is not weak or strong enough to overwinter in your area.

> 6. Have been told to put apistan (2 strips/hive body) in when I close the
> hives along with menthol (1 pkg/body) and not to treat in spring. Does this
> sound ok?
Apistan, yes.  Follow the directions, use only after honey supers are off and
take them out after 45 days, even if that means opening your hives in the snow.
 Menthol is not a good treatment in upstate NY as it will get too cold for the
menthol to sublimate and you will not get adequate treatment.  Investigate
Crisco patties instead.

Aaron Morris - I think, therefore I bee!