At 08:55 6/17/96 EST, you wrote: >---------------------- Information from the mail header ----------------------- >Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]> >Poster: "Mark D. Egloff" <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Too many bees??? >------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Well, this will seem to be a strange request, given the current > depleted status of the honeybee population in the US, BUT, I > set up a two queen hive for the first time this spring and I > now have more bees in that one hive than I know what to do > with. I will be pulling honey supers off of the hive in about > another two weeks, but then I have a problem -- > > How do I get rid of the extra and then unneeded bees? These > bees will be the older foragers, possibly (although not tested) > with the larger risk of mite infection, etc. > > The colony is super vigorous. (BTW, it is great to see one this > strong. I didn't know what a REAL hive of bees was until this > one.) I don't want to damage it or hurt it in any way, but I > would like to filter out the excess foragers and quietly get > rid of thiem or find some other use for them. Any ideas on how > to proceed?? > > Mark Egloff > Dayton, Ohio, USA > A couple suggestions: Find another, maybe larger, beekeeper who might set up a trade system with you. You trade him, 1 for 1, a frame of bees for an empty frame. I,personally, know of a beekeeper, near me, who is willing to do this. The other suggestion is to make up a package or nuc of bees and offer them for sell to someone wanting to start a new colony. If you're going to do this, however, you need to do it soon as we are getting late in the season for someone to try to start a new colony. Regards, Mike Wallace Sar Shalom Apiary McKinney, Texas USA "Out of the heart, the mouth speaks."