El Nino has given you more than rain and pounding surf. The bees are
strong here in northern Vermont too. Not much flight yet. Not even a
real good cleansing flight. Overall the clusters are large. Best I've
seen since - the last El Nino. No oil put on the bees here! If we have a
good spring, we'll have pleanty of swarming too. Looks like it might be
a good year for making nucs.Should have our first pollen in about two
weeks. Apple bloom in six to seven weeks.
 
Paul Cronshaw, D.C. wrote:
 
> Has anyone noticed an increase in swarming in their area this year?
>
> I am getting swamped with swarm calls in Santa Barbara.....
>
> Perhaps the bees have figured out how to contol the mite infestation
> themselves.
>
> Paul Cronshaw, D.C.
> Cyberchiro/High School Teacher and Hobbyist Beekeeper
> Santa Barbara, CA  USA