Hello All Spring is on its way. Here in the carolinas the maples are fat and ready to bloom, in a couple a more 60 degree days. I open hives yesterday (sunday) and found fresh queen cells on the bottom bars of some hives, swarming planned? maybe, but ill split in a week or so- probably a couple weeks because the colonies are not boiling over yet. Last year first swarms came on the first of march. First supers for extra room to go on this week. Ill post as the weather progresses,seems as the new england area just got a blast of last minute winter. On the subject of bottom screens, last year i made 9 of them, just took 1x2 and made a frame then stapled the screen on and trimmed then put a 3/4 x 3/4 around the rim on theframe. I havnt lost any colonies yet and usually have lost 2 or 3 out of the 15 to 20 i keep. Ill just have to make more screen bottoms for the rest of them. I have a question--- Has anyone who uses the menthol and oil towels used them in the spring? It seems maybe a waste of time with the trachial mites life cycle. Any comments welcome. Al Boehm Columbus NC at the nc sc border