I've just gotten some queen cells from the first grafting I've tried.
Made up 7 mating nucs with the queen cells.  I suppose I'll know in a
couple of weeks if things went well.  The question: What is a "ripe"
queen cell??  In "Contemporary Queen Rearing", Laidlaw refers to "ripe"
cells several times, but I can't seem to find *"ripe"* defined.  If the
cells have been sealed, can they be put into nucs at any time if they are
handled carefully??
 
I swept about 150 ml of bees from the front of one of my
Langstroth-type hives into a jar, etherized the bees, and had about 6
Varroa mites drop off.  The colony is very strong at the moment; sourwood
honey flow should start next week.  The question:  Should I put Apistan
strips in the hive now?  Wait until later in the summer??
 
I searched the BEE-L archives and found one reference to "peppermint in
water" for mite control. The question:  Are any of you using oil of
peppermint, oil of eucalyptus, or camphor spirits either singly or in any
combination in a sugar water spray to aid in treating mites--tracheal or
external??? If so, what combinations/concentrations???
 
Thanks to Paul Magnuson, I'm enjoying working some modified Tanzanian
TBH's.  I'm delighted with the ease and "low tech" aspects of this type
of management.  I like the spaciousness of the inside with all surface
areas accessible to the bees.  The question:  Are colonies in TBH's any
less susceptible to mite infections?? Wax moth problems?? More susceptible??
 
I will appreciate any information or suggestions you may have.
 
Cordially yours,
 
Jim
 
 
-----------------------------------------------------
|  James D.Satterfield   |  [log in to unmask]           |
|  P.O. Box 2243         |                          |
|  Decatur, GA 30031 USA |  Telephone 404 378-8917  |
-----------------------------------------------------