Friday, we hived a nice swarm hanging in a blooming plum tree. It wasn't
a large one, but appeared healthy. I was particularly interested in it,
because I know of no kept bees within two or three miles, and swarms don't
usually travel far, before they first pitch. A close visual inspection in
bright sunshine revealed no varroa mites.
 
    They had been there a couple days before being discovered, and were quite
nervous. I had fears of losing them, just as we attempted to hive them. There
were a lot of dancing scouts, so they were apparently in the process of
selecting a home.
 
    They have now spent two nights in their new home, so I have greater hopes
of keeping them. Once a swarm has "made up its mind" on a home, they often
will leave the hive anyway.
 
     When they have established brood, I will check again for varroa. If there
is no sign of it, I will not treat them, until I see evidence of varroa. All
the wild swarms I have ever gotten have eventually succumbed to varroa, though
one that I thought showed promise, was lost due to a drone layer. That one
lived a year. Another which lived a year and a half, and was extremely
productive during its first year, broke down in late spring to a heavy varroa
infestation.
 
[log in to unmask]     Dave Green  Hemingway, SC  USA
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