> On 15 Dec 2019, at 7:01 PM, Richard Cryberg <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
> It does seem to have something to do with temperature as I have never had a single hive crash in May, June, July, August or September.  Maybe one or two in October.  A few in November then it gets bad and stays bad until sometime between March 15 to the end of April depending how cold it is here during that period.  That death pattern held when I was not treating and still holds.
> 

Hi Dick & All

I have two issues that bother me here north of the lakes from Ohio etc. 

First is temperature restrictions on various treatments.  I am not blaming the manufacturers but the beekeepers using those treatments.  Formic acid(my choice) should not be used if the ambient temperature rises above 30C(86F) or below 10C(50F).  Here in southern Ontario we often get days above 30C in August and nights below 10C in September.  Where can we fit 21 days for formic, and other soft treatments, into our dearth period in August and early September without breaking one of those restrictions.

Second is advice from other beekeepers, trying to be helpful, who cannot seem to use those 3 little words I DON’T KNOW followed by lets ask so and so or get a knowledgeable speaker to our next beekeepers association meeting.

I became aware of an illustration of both of these situations when a friend and I were driving home from the October beek meeting when the friend described a problem with their strongest hive.  When the hive was checked they found the queen and about 20 live bees plus a bunch of dead bees on the bottom board. They had asked 2 prominent members at the meeting what to do.  They both agreed that frames of bees and stores from the other 2 hives should be introduced to save the queen. I asked if any treatments had been used and was told yes formic(a well known brand) in mid September after the goldenrod flow.  I was shocked that the formic product was used too late, we have frosts sometimes in late September and definitely in October, also by the advice given which would weaken the two other hives in late October.  

I had had sticky board counts of 0-1 over 24 hours in late July, late August and mid September so treated with Apivar in September with 6 strips unused.  I thought about mite bombs often mentioned on Bee-L and thought that some of the bees from the strong hive would have absconded to the other 2 hives.  I phoned and asked if I could drop in on the friend who lives about 1 mile from me.  When I got there I asked how many dead bees in the hive, lots they said but one double handful when I insisted.  Where have all the bees from the strongest gone I queried, then gave them the my answer as well as the 6 remaining strips.  Treat the other 2 hives now I said, but it is possibly too late.  They did a sticky board count a couple of days after the strips were in and found thousands of mites.

Bob Darrell
Caledon Ontario
Canada
44N80W

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