I'm having good luck.

40 + treatment free hives, sc, foundationless, 1 1/4" frame widths.

Basically Michael Bush plan

Cheated, started with all local feral survivor stock that I've caught. 

Manage them like they would live in the wild, no feeding, no swarm controll, no splitting.

September 24/48 hour natural fall mite counts averaged 3 - 5 mites. No hives were over 10. Did sugar rolls counts on 8 big two year old hives to double check and mite counts were all less that 3%.

Our summer dearth here with our long natural brood break and 100 + high summer temperatures really nocks down the mite population. 

Avg. honey production was a little over 80 lbs a hive, which was good for our area this very dry year.



Don Semple
Overland Park, KS

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