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> Date:          Mon, 9 Aug 1999 16:34:23 -0400
> To:            [log in to unmask]
> From:          Vivian Donahue <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject:       late summer laying & double wide hive body
>
> Thanks for all the great responses.  I'm in NothernVirginia, and by hot, I
> mean mostly in the 90s.  I was thinking of feeding them anyway so I will take
> the advice and put some syrup on.  As for their crankiness, it just seems more
> than what I would normally expect.  I will requeen this fall, as recommended
> by the list, since I think it would make it a better natured hive (hopefully).
>  Unfortunately,  shade is the only location on my lot that I have for them.
> It is not heavy shade, and they do get some spotty sun.  In the winter, they
> get full sun.
>
> And don't worry, I would never use honey that was produced while apistan or
> menthol was on. I have bees crawling around on the ground so I am sure they
> need the menthol right now.   I don't do commercial production anyway. I'm
> just a hobbiest and I give all my excess (when I have it) to friends and
> family and neighbors.  By surplus, I really meant that there seems to be full
> honey in all the corners of all the brood comb as well as plenty of pollen,
> and nector in the super I leave on top of each brood body of each hive.  I
> have already removed the honey I will take for this year. We do sometimes have
> a fall flow, but it is not worth taking medications off for, and with this
> drought, I seriously doubt that it will be adequate for them to winter over
> on.  I didn't get nearly the surplus I thought I would from this spring.
>
> Now, any recommendations for someone like me who has hardly ever been able to
> find the queen?  I know to look for her on all the frames where there are
> young eggs, but there just has to be some other trick to it.  I like the idea
> of first doing a nuc, then recombining them, and may resort to that, but I
> sure would like to improve my ability to find the queen.
>
> Also, I read with interest several of the posts about the one story double
> hive body, and I just love this idea. Does anybody know where I can purchase
> one, and the various equipment I would need for it (covers, bottom board,
> landing platform, one of the wire mesh bottoms for varroa control, etc.)?
> Please don't tell me how easy it is to build, because I was never allowed to
> take shop. ;-)   I would really love to try one, since lifting hive bodys is
> not easy, even though I am stronger than the average woman.
>
> Vivian