In message <[log in to unmask]>, Mike Tooley <[log in to unmask]> writes >I think most of your 'resistant'feral hives are just swarms from >treated hives. I had a call today to look into moving two colonies away from a field to make way for cultivation. In a future year the landowner may well acquire bees and restock the hives (the owner has let them all go). The hives had not been looked at for 4 years. Varroa came in 1996 possibly 1997. So they have not been treated at all. Two hives were empty, one eaten out by wax moth (the other left unexamined in a briar patch). One colony was showing distinct deformed wing virus, with ejected small adults and many bees with deformed wings. Comb was diagonally across several frames. It was obviously a swarm of maybe 2 years ago, given the used state of the comb. I gave it one strip of apistan. The second colony was strong and showed no sign of deformed wing virus, though I did not lift out any frames given the bees were only just flying. All comb was in the original frames. There was at least 60lb honey in the hive - not a great deal for this year especially with the second super having very little in it. I gave it 2 strips of apistan. So, either we have some degree of resistance or the hive has been reoccupied quickly before any serious loss of comb to wax moth, once or even twice. The colony will be given OMF next spring and watched for signs of tolerance. To attempt to help along my embryonic tolerance study programme I will give frames of drone foundation or slip in some drawn drone comb at the bottom of 2 or 3 frames and get a bit of varroa development to see if they switch on grooming (with mite damage) since it has been suggested this will happen when the varroa numbers rise above some unknown threshold. It's an interesting time here given the mechanism may be widespread. Any colony that did not develop dwv will get the same treatment, many having been treated a bit late this time. Unfortunately 2 apiaries were treated late and showed a high proportion of colonies with at least a little dwv but most were still laying with up to 4 frames with brood including 1 with eggs, patches about 15cm diameter so they should recover well. As night temperatures at the moment are typically around 7C the colonies to be moved will be given new floors a.s.a.p. to reduce weight and ease carrying (they have floors which are also 4-legged stands and quite substantial) and moved one morning when the temperature gets to at least 10C and the forecast is for at least 12C (most days at the moment it is higher). They are still getting in lots of pollen and there's still some uncapped stores so they seem to be bringing in nectar from somewhere. I have seen blackberry and dandelion flowers opening again! -- James Kilty