Hello Bee Folk,
   I had a lot of replies to my "test message". I will not send another,
but thank you to all of you from all over the world!!!!!!!
   The reason I sent that message was: Problems with my ISP. Nothing was
coming in here so I had to re-subscribe to all my mailing lists
including Bee-L. When there is a problem a message will normally be
bounced back to me and I then re-subscribe or whatever needs doing. In
this case two "test" messages  to "Bee-L" were bounced back to me
meaning something was wrong. The 3rd message didn't come back but the
replies did. I knew whatever the problem was had been corrected, but
like a bullet from a gun once a message hits the system you can't recall
it.
   Again thank you for your simple and humorous replies and for the not
so simple nor humorous... sorry I upset your apple carts.
   To keep with the topic of Bees. Some replied as Buckfasts on a gentle
spring day. Then we had the "Africans".
   A few folks asked about my bees. We have had warm weather again today
and it will be in the upper 50f's (12c - 16c) here again tomorrow. I
checked my hives today. One attacked me as soon as I took the top off
when I took off the inner cover I was glad a little voice told me to
suit up before I went down to the hives. If I hadn't I have no idea how
many stings I would have taken. They were not amused. I did not stay
with that hive to long. Plenty of stores yet and a good population.
Didn't check for brood.
   The second hive is a goner. Plenty of stores very small cluster
perhaps only a few hundred bees. As warm as it was today I was able to
open that hive up and pull some frames saw no brood or signs of a queen.
She may have been there but I think she may have died early in the
winter or late fall. I scrapped open some of the comb in this weaker
hive just on the off chance that the queen is in there. If she is she
had best get laying soon or else the remaning bees will be dead. It is a
real drag to have a hive go down. I truely do hate it when something
happens to my bees. I will do what I can to try and save this hive but I
think it maybe way to late.
   I suppose I could buy a package or two and feed the honey that is
left in that hive to the package bees. They would have plenty of drawn
comb and a good supply of honey and pollen. Just a matter of getting the
new queen up and running.
   I have been looking at prices for package bees from many suppliers.
The prices range from $23.00 for 2#w/Q up to $43.00 for #2w/Q that is
for 3 banded Italians. Any ideas as to the big price range?
 
Thank You...
 
Gary C. Lewis
Duke Center, Pa.