That is reassuring, Chris. I'm in southern California, in a small canyon
in the northwest region of Los Angeles. The seasons are really good here
for bees and the only threats are varroa and the possibility of
Africanization, though the AHBs are still well south (100 kilometers, more
or less). I lost the last two seasons to varroa and I intend to be
*religious* about using Apistan, the legal application here in America.
 
I work full time (forty hours a week here) and always look forward to
fiddling with my bees on the weekends. I give my honey away at Christmas
time and enjoys it year round. We probably have the same problems. My
biggest is ants during the summer, when it is awfully dry here. Strong
colonies have no problem, but my new hive has to be protected from them. I
use a stand and "Tanglefoot" on the legs of the stand, but you have to
check often, as ants are the most ingenious creatures ... the slightest
opportunity allows them access to the hive.
 
What about England? Are the problems similar? I've added the bee list to
distribution, as they may be interested in this discussion.
--
Richard
[log in to unmask]
www.primenet.com/~rspear
 
----------
> From: James Guy <[log in to unmask]>
> To: Richard Spear <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: RE:
> Date: Sunday, June 30, 1996 1:43 PM
>
>
> Hi there
>
> Yes James is my formal title, so the agreement with microsoft is in that
name.
> But I always use my middle name hence Chris.
>
> I think you will find her laying.
>
> Last year I gave a 3 frame nuc a queen cell to raise, after three weeks
> nothing, kept checking, after 5 weeks decided that was it. I took the
box to
> one of my out apiaries, and began shaking out the bees in front of a
hive.
>
> After shaking 2 frames I found brood!!!
>
> Put the lot back, and left them to it returned 2 days later to find one
queen,
> fat and healthy all OK.
>
> They are pretty hard to kill  then.
>
>
> Cheers Chris
>
> Ps Where in the world are you, I'm in Birmingham UK
>