From: "Bob Harrison"  I would like to experiment with only using one
treatment, only two  and
> *most important* only one after all brood rearing has stopped in late
fall. I guess I will have to really retire ( I retired in 1998) to get the
free time I want  to enjoy beekeeping "

Bob, do NOT retire. It is fatal - the (active) retired are far busier than
the employed! Two reasons - anything that has to be done has to be done by u
yourself - and the relaxation of business discipline means u widen your
focus and become involved (at last) in all the things u ought to have been
doing the last 20 years. Plus everyone thinks u have nothing to do, so bring
u their things for u to do.   Much better to die in harness!

But when u get so grouchy noone wants to work with u any more - then let's
hope u do the experiments u mentioned that are so important. Can I please
add one more test - my constant song I know, but I'm sure it's sweet. You
included treating varooa in spring  - I assume the aim is to hit before
there is much brood.  The defect is that the spring burst of brood rearing
is yet to come, a wave on which varroa are carried to new heights,
especially as bees raise drone brood at that time. So treatment mid-summer
would be good - but the problem is that the brood nest is very large and 80%
of varroa are hidden in brood.   HOWEVER, if the colony is Demareed, it is
split into a broodless 'swarm' (that could be treated  effectively with SOE
immediately) and a 'parent nest' in which all brood will have emerged 3
weeks later, when it can be treated with SOE in turn.  If the bees are given
a right dousing, this routine ought to get a good overall hit.

You may say noone Demarees as it is too laborioos - that is a separate
question.  If the regime works, the problem becomes how to make Demareeing
more practical.  My answer (as posted before) is to use a double length hive
body and Demarree just by moving individual frames at the the same level -
no heavy lifting involved. The Long Deep hive is suitable for those who keep
bees in permanent locations - in UK, the vast majority of hobbyists , who
own perhaps half of all colonies.   Don't know about other countries, but
there must be some hobbyists (with whom IMHO the future of beekeeping in
advanced countries rests). So we would really appreciate your testing the
principle, Bob.

If at your great age u are starting to get back trouble, time u tried out
the Long Deep hive in general for the home apiary - it cuts down the lifting
requirement to just 16lbs , a half sized super.  Of course u can carry
several at a go, so as not to look too whimpy.  But even then, the smaller
boxes are carried closer to the spine, so less strain.

Robin Dartington

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and  other info ---
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::