Fellow keepers of the bee,
 
     Thanks for the information you have provided thus far.  I would like to
give you additional information that I should have posted with the last
message.  This hive was headed by a YUGO queen that is a year old. They are
allegedly resistant to the tracheal mite. None the less I treated this hive
and all the others with TM patties and with APISTAN strips per directions.
I removed what was left of the patty and the APISTAN strip on the 46th day
of use ( that was how I found the drones on the ground). I did not get into
the brood nest as I was short of time on the day of discovery.  I did
seperate both hive bodies and the one on top was quite heavy. I estimate
around 40 - 50 pounds. The one on the bottem was lighter, around 20 - 30
pounds.  Both hive bodies had lots of active bees.
 
    I checked this yard about two weeks prior and this hive was hauling in
pollen like crazy.  I have never seen a coloney bring in the amounts of
pollen that I saw on that day. That really brought joy to my heart. :-)
The color indicated that the bees were gathering from different sources in
the area.
    There is a small apple orchard about 1000 yards from the stand. I guess
about 100 trees. I was wondering if the owner used some type of insecticide
on his trees. If he did it should have harmed all the hives and not just one?
He was a bee haver at one time. I located his bee yard. 500 yards from where
I placed mine.  It looks as if there hasn't been any bees in the hives for
years.
     This is a new location for me and I am kind of nervous about the health
of my girls.  I will get into the brood chamber the first chance I get and
report back.
              Ron Harriger Cambridge Springs Pa.