It is hot and humid in North Carolina - 92 F today and the dew point is
close to 80.  Since it is mid August it is time to get the bees ready for
winter and I have been going around checking my bees and have a couple of
observations to make.

I have begun making a lot of nucs every spring and early summer and just
roll them into my bee operation.  Since I have nucs moving up to hive
bodies over the course of the summer I realize that when I see a hive going
down I don't even bother to look too closely for the cause.  it seems when
I do look the cause is 'indeterminant, just a declining hive'.  I check to
see if there are no brood diseases and then bring it back to the honey
house and drop it in the freezer for 2-3 days.  I sort the combs - cull the
really old ones - and use what is left to add a second box to the new
singles made from nucs.  I have also noticed very little wax moth
activity.  It is not that they aren't around, but the hive beetles seem to
get to the weak hives first and it looks like the slime repels everything.
I try to catch the beetles early and just drop them in the freezer when
they begin to take over a weak hive.  I am pleased to say I have lost very
few combs to wax moths in the last few years, but I try to stay on top of
my bees.

I am feeding the nuc-made hives to bring them up to strength as the honey
flow here ended months ago.  I find the rate at which a hive draws down a 2
gallon internal feeder to be an excellent diagnostic tool.  A rapid
draw-down means an excellent hive.  Slow drawdowns require closer
inspection, and hive beetle larvae in the feeder mean the hive is on the
way out and is going to the freezer.  I am keeping my mite numbers low but
still see more hive failures during the summer that is right.  Reading the
various surveys out there, I think what I am seeing is not unusual.

I suspect I am rolling one third of my hives over each year with the nuc to
hive to freezer routine and I am also realizing I am doing very little
requeening.  After the middle of July I am almost afraid to requeen because
any lack of vigor in a hive seems to be exploited immediately by the hive
beetles.  My requeening is happening through the nuc introduction cycle and
that is not a bad thing since I hate requeening.

comments?  anyone seeing the same things?

Bill Lord
Louisburg, NC

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