My informal checking of the success of beekeepers to whom I sell nucs strongly suggests that colonies kept in apiaries of only 1-2 hives some distance from other apiaries often survive for years without treatment.


That’s not generally what we see her in the Midwest.  We see  decent season,  and then fall dwindle,  with death in  winter from small clusters,  or failure to thrive in the spring.   Those with high mites  NORMALLY perish in the depth of winter,  and any potential mite bomb is encapsulated with ice.  IE  the bees and the mites freeze  before the bomb.

Major differences in climate.  Your bees are building now for aug collapse,  ours won't start building till march 1 at best.  Which is late oct/ November collapse Normally frozen by then (not this year)

As they say  beekeeping is local!

Charles

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html