Greetings fellow list members,

    I need some sound advice regarding my most current bee related dilemma.
I started my first hive last spring.  It seemed to do well until this
spring.  For a few weeks now I have noticed a lot of unfortunate bees with
deformed wings stumbling out of the hive only to wind up crawling around on
the ground until they die.  This is probably due to Varroa infestation since
I never treated that hive for Varroa mites.  I have not otherwise verified
the Varroa infestation though.  Anyway, On 16 April I installed another
three pound package with Queen in a hive of foundation above the old hive
separated from it by a Snelgrove double screen.  So what I have now is what
I suppose would be called a two queen colony even though I might also be
considered two separate colonies.  The reason I did this (you are no doubt
dieing to know) was to give myself time to monitor the ailing old hive and
determine if it would be able to stand on its own, or possibly be combined
with the new colony once it has gotten well under way.   Now it is pretty
clear the old colony is not bouncing back, and it seems it might not be not
a good idea to combine a sick hive with a healthy new hive.  However they
are in such close proximity to each other the mites have probably gotten a
start in the new hive.
     The question is should I separate the two colonies, or kill the old
queen and combine them.  If I should separate them then should I try to save
the old colony by treating with Apistan knowing that it is too late for that
process to be completed in time to get any honey this year?  That is even if
treating them succeeds in saving the colony which it very possibly might
not.  If I should combine the colonies am I nuts not to treat them now even
though doing so would mean missing the main flow?  I promise I will treat
them in the fall no matter what.

Steve Noble
South Whidbey Island, Wa.

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