CHRS: IBMPC 2 CODEPAGE: 437 MSGID: 240:244/116 494de4c5 REPLY: 240:44/0 7ce5e54b PID: FDAPX/w 1.12a UnReg(450) In reply to David Eyre's aside may I say in South England that my bees have been breeding up very late, even now there is a lot of sealed brood with night temperastures down to 4 celcius. This has made inroads into the winter stores such that I will have to do some late feeding. We never get two years in a row when things seem on an even keel. This year colonies were collecting pollen around Christmas and February was so warm, June was wet and cold. Today I saw the biggest fattest queen humble bee working away as if it was Spring when perhaps she ought to be hibernating. It has been a year when swarms have thrown swarms despite having plenty of room and foundation to draw, other swarms have collected more surplus honey than established colonies. One thing is sure beekeeping can never be boring can it ?? Regards from the Garden of England. [log in to unmask] --- * Origin: Kent Beekeeper Beenet Point (240:244/116)