Thanks to Bob and Mike. I put the hives several feet apart, so I can make side by side splits if it's needed towards the end of the bloom. The farmer is a friend of Adrian Wenner, and they did some trials with Blue Orchard bees on the same land last year. The owner's got some out this year too, and so far I didn't see any sign of them, although he told me he's seen a few males flying around. It will be interesting to observe how the two kinds of bees do. It's close enough that I can go up every week to check things out. Regards and thanks Tim Vaughan :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::