Dear B-listers' My two hives were started from nucs of Russo-hybrids this spring - they're doing very well recently 'cause I left them alone (vacation) the last 3 weeks. Still I wonder about many things: Hive #1 (in city) superceded the marked queen right away and for the life of me I cannot locate her replacement! Do I have to wait till next spring - when I assume the population will be much lower? [good hive, but I want to requeen because the bees are too touchy for the neighborhood] Hive #2 (country, lots of forage) swarmed a month ago-bottom of two brood boxes shows a nice laying pattern but the top brood box continues to show swarm cells??? Should I care? Hive #1 sits atop a slotted-rack - the bees don't build in that space, yet they keep filling the excluder with wax - how come? BTW - that hive is much more populous than the hive that swarmed FWIW. Hive #1 - everyday we see a few bees crawling on the ground away from the hive- mostly drones but occasionally a stunted-looking worker - trouble? I saw AFB scale for the first time at the Puget Sound association 'BEE- TOPIA' and it occurs to me I may have been wrong in choosing black plastic foundation for the brood boxes - Opinions? Hive #1 - here in Renton (Seattle) I am told that the main flow is over - so what is it that the bees are bringing in? My Bee-landlady wants to know what kind of forage she could plant for the bees to use after the main Blackberry/clover flow. I like my plastic frames except I find that almost a 3rd of them have spots of deep comb built on one frame with a shallow or empty spot on the adjacent frame. Can I just scrape the high side and let them try again? I have lots of problems with burr & bridge comb - do I understand that this goes away if you use boxes and frames from one manufacturer? Almost harvest-time, so-what's a good fall/winter medication schedule? Last Question - I have a good spot for expansion - how can you tell when you have ALMOST too many hives before you find that they are costing too much time and energy? Thanks for listening!