In a message dated 26/06/2008 18:08:42 GMT Standard Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

After  all it is a new problem ,isn't it??????




On 3 occasions over the last decade or so, the most recent being about 3  
years ago, I have found hives that had on the last inspection been very  
prosperous, having yielded an above-average honey crop, being reduced in the  most 
extreme case to 4 workers and a queen; the next worst about a dozen and a  queen 
and the third, and most recent, maybe a hundred or so. In that case I  
re-located the queen to a nearby hive that had need of one and she did well  there 
until replaced the next season. Although it was the wasp season there  was no 
sign of robbing in any of these hives which were in separate  apiaries.
 
In each of these hives I had delayed treating for Varroa (although knowing  
that they were heavily infested) because I prefer to take my honey crop later  
than most people do in order to enable the bees to take down sufficient stores 
 and pack around the diminishing brood nest to see them through the winter.
 
Chris



   

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