Hello George & All,
> Noting  your comment to Allen and Aaron regarding SMR, I have to comment.
Allen & Aaron cought me off gaurd with the letters SMR. I said to beware
last January. After careful research I realized our researchers had put a
name on a phenomenon which many had observed for many years. The idea is
bees bred from bees with 100% varroa non-reproduction in worker brood. I
personally have never seen a hive or strain of A. meliferia with 100% non
varroa reproduction in worker brood but many researchers report the SMR
phenomenon. . Many of our noted researchers have told me such strains exist.
I believe the SMR queens are the product of Glenn Apiaries in Falbrook, Ca.
I intend to find out if the SMR do as advertised. More important the
daughters do as advrtised.
>  The "Russian" bee IS A CARNIOLAN, and A.I. has been demonstrated  > by
famous scientists as the way to go to maintain the good points of a
> particular race or strain.
Carniolans are becoming more popular now that beekeepers are learning they
need to be worked in a different way than Italians do.
> Sorry about you hernia.
Compared to what you have been through and have to live with my problem is
like a stubbed toe.  I have had a few grins with my hernia. Friday a storm
blew my tall hive over outside my front door. There was a steady stream of
people knocking on my door yesterday to tell me my tall hive had fallen
over. If there is no other storm damage my hive may be pictured on the front
page of the local newspaper! Can't you see the headlines:
"Storm blows grouchy old beekeepers hive over!"  I tried to bribe *old
farmers* to *teenagers* with honey,money or hive products to take my suit
and set the hive back up. Not one taker! One teenager said:
"Look Mister I only stopped to tell you about your hive not to correct the
situation".
Actually I don't worry about a strong hive being laid on its side. I went
out and looked and the hive is intact complete up to the queen excluder.
Bees were flying out through the spaces in the excluder creating a unusual
sight. I have had hives knocked off skids by cattle lay on the ground for
two weeks without problems. As long as the rain can't enter the hive I see
no problem.  I am sure I have spent more time thinking about the hive laying
over than the bees ever have.
Bob
Ps. One has to ponder the thought *Dennis the Mennis* next door could be
involved .