?? Can they winter over here?

Yes but the numbers *in my opinion* will never equal the numbers seen in the
south.

Will
> freezing ground break the reproductive cycle?

I believe it slows the cycle ( as compared to Georgia/Florida/ and of course
California best kept secret).

In your area SHB should never be more than a minor issue. We see SHB issues
in many hobby
 beekeepers hives (not all!) *mainly* because what many consider a hive I
consider a
 *dink* and a place for SHB and wax moths to reproduce.

Our area is now receiving package bees from California and nucs arrive in a
week. These are all fair game for SHB especially when placed in hive bodies
with open entrances.

I on the other hand are moving super strong colonies with bees in both boxes
on to locations and supering for the early honey flow.

The anonymous beekeeper author from the bee magazines in the 70's
"O.B.Wiser" wrote year after year on the subject.

Those avid readers of his at the time remember the drawings of O.B.Wiser
placing supers while other beekeepers in his area were doing the first
inspections and feedings.

Another anonymous beekeeper "The Wise Guy" created quite a stir with his
opinions on the bee industry saying what people were thinking but afraid to
say.

Every month after a "Wise Guy" article appeared in Bee Culture the "letters
to the editor" column filled up with letters.

Those of us close to the industry could not help but chuckle as then we knew
the person or USDA area the "Wise Guy" had talked about.

The above was before BEE-L & beesource were established.


This past winter we had so
> much snow that the ground was not frozen for long.

SHB does not reproduce or slime during the winter so winter conditions do
not effect unless the brood nest SHb is in dies out. I suspect SHB also
winters outside like other beetles and if so a percentage does die like
other beetles which made a poor choice as to a place to winter.
Frozen ground only effects larva.

bob

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