>  So do we assume that you picked up SHB from a neighbors bee yard
>without any selling or trading of equipment just drift?


Correct. I haven't bought any bees or queens for years. I also haven't 
pollinated in several years, and the bees stay in their yards all year. The 
beekeeper near me bought his nucs from a known infested source...told me he 
wondered what all those little black beetles were. I found beetles the 
first year after he bought the nucs. First year there were only a few. 
Second year there were dozens in the mini-nucs. We'll see what this year 
brings on, especially with the warm winter we just had.

So far, I haven't seen any damage in the hives, except one comb of pollen 
in a dead nuc had some larvae in it, so I haven't bothered with traps or 
treatments. It's the honey house and comb storage that worries me. Since I 
have so many over wintered nucs this spring, I should be able to have all 
my brood combs occupied by bees. This summer it will be the honey house 
that I have to watch.
Mike 


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