In a message dated 6/8/99 8:24:55 AM Eastern Daylight Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:

> Also, this hive is now quite small.  I have reduced them to one deep brood
>  chamber, one honey super of foundation, as I found a couple of wax moth
>  larva.  They do seem to be covering about six frames, but are not
interested
>  in building out the foundation. We are in a strong honey flow, my other
hive
>  built out 8frames of a medium and partially filled it in one week. However,
>  there are earwigs in the lid of the hive and ants on parade.  Any
>  suggestions?  The poor gals are quite demoralized.

    Give them a couple frames of sealed brood. If they don't recover after
that, your new queen is a ding-a-ling. Recombine by using this hive as a
super on your good hive.  There's no use to nurse along junk bees.

    My first thought was the one I expressed secondly. I really wonder how
much trouble it is worth to try to save a hive that won't build in the
spring. There may be secondary reasons, perhaps originally poor genetics, or
high tracheal mite levels, nosema, virus, etc.  If requeening hasn't solved
the problem, you are beating a dead horse.  And you are raiding your good
hive, thus reducing their production.

[log in to unmask]     Dave Green  Hemingway, SC  USA
The Pollination Scene:  http://users.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html
The Pollination Home Page:    http://www.pollinator.com

Jan's Sweetness and Light Shop    (Varietal Honeys and Beeswax Candles)
http://users.aol.com/SweetnessL/sweetlit.htm