Then we have
> the Jumbo Langstroth and the Dadant, both excellent to stay in one place
> but too heavy for migratory work.

Hello Sid,

I believe the weight was indeed the reason why these were never very
popular. I have seen many beekeepers going to all Illinois depth for
brood and honey. Even with the Langstroth deeps todays beekeeping has
caused older beekeepers to consider switching to a deep and a illinois.
I finnished week before last pulling all my strips. They were in the
lower box between two langstroth deeps. A job brought on by varroa! If i
had to lift each hive body off i wouldn't be able to straighten up for a
week. Even the way i do it is very tiring but easier than lifting off
the top body.

1. I get down on knees by the skid and break the seal and tilt up upper
box.

2. observe the amount of bees on bottom of frames in top box. You can
get a real idea of colony strength and the amount of congestion. I then
lightly smoke to check for queen cells on top box. If i find cells in
the top i lift off and go thru bottom also. If not i remove strips and
lightly smoke to keep from mashing bees when lowering.
Sounds hard to do but after a few hives i believe you fill find its much
easier than lifting off every top deep box.

For a hobbiest IPM is wonderful but for a person trying to make a profit
from beekeeping those extra trips to remove strips,remove drone brood or
the countless other measures cut into the profits in a huge way. Granted
they are a way of life in beekeeping today. Many commercial beekeepers
complain about the cost of medications which are high but the cost in
labor, milege and time taken away from other importent beekeeping tasks
by doing treatments is significant. Applying strips,mixing patties,three
treatments of terramicin, making up menthol bags and applying and
testing with testing materials would be equal to or greater than the
costs of medications alone.

I long for the old days when all we had to worry about was American Foul
Brood! Granted the thought of starting over after the government burnt
all your hives was scary! I wonder if those U.S. beekeepers hives which
were destroyed by our best beekeeping minds when the mites were first
found shouldn't be reimbursed and apologized to!
Lets not make the same mistakes in New Zealand!
Bob Harrison U.S.A.