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Tue, 28 Mar 2017 15:49:13 -0400 |
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It is 55 degrees F. with 50% snow cover. The spring honey flow is 6 weeks away. Today, the colonies were inspected for winter losses and to feed a pollen supplement. I have 20 production colonies. One died of starvation. Two colonies have a fist size cluster of bees with the hive full of stores (varroa?), Three colonies have 6-7 frames of bees. And 14 colonies are very strong . The production colonies were treated with MAQS in May and August. Oxalic acid in November. My winter loses for my production colonies is 5% and will be 15 %.
I have 6 nuclear colonies. Two are dead of varroa. Varroa fecal matter was identified. The other 4 have 1 fame of bees and probably will do poorly, The nuclear colony loss is 33% and could be 100 %. They had queen problems and did poorly during the summer. The parents were treated for mites in the spring. They received an oxalic acid dribble in November. This year I plan on starting the nukes a couple weeks earlier and monitor monthly for mites.
It is still too early to check the brood. Usually I lose 1 or more colonies in April to queen failure.
Elwin Stillman, Lowville, NY
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