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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Al Lipscomb <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 16 Apr 2002 14:27:46 -0400
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>
> I have been making splits over the weekend of honeybees and
> have noticed some of the colonies are full of bees and SHB.
> There was no brood or eggs, no visible queen but signs of
> hatched queen cells.

With SHB a hive that swarms is often a gonner. The reduced number of
house bees cannot keep the frames clean of SHB eggs.


> Everyone of the colonies that was like
> this (full of bees but no brood,eggs, or visible queen) had
> hundreds of SHB. One actually had larvae started in the honey
> frames. Yes a gooie mess was starting to form. I first
> thought the bees were robbing but then relized they were
> working bringing in pollen and nectar. Hmmmmmmmmmm i thought
> ?! These 3 colonies are sure to fail.

The queen will stop laying once SHB larvae begin to attack the brood.
You may be able to save the coloney by putting them on foundation. This
would require pulling off all supers and getting them into a single box
with foundation. This will help break the reproductive cycle of the SHB
in the hive and give the house bees a chance to clean things up. This
may not be an option for you.

At the same time treating with strips and approved ground drench may
also help. This may be more trouble than its worth but that is what I
would try. Results will vary.

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