On Tue, 6 Mar 2007 21:54:21 -0500, Irwin Harlton <[log in to unmask]> wrote:


> When the US border closed in 1986 to package bees things changed, but we
>canucks have every disease and pest the US beekeepers have, but we don't
>have any African bees, big deal,the border closure bought us time but made
>us very inefficent.Wintering costs more than package bees.
>


so you have lots of small hive beetles in Canada ? Eh? and TM resistant AFB? 

I live in central Mn and the cost to winter a hive is about $7 in materials, fuel & labor to wrap and 
about $12 to feed for corn syrup, labor and fuel (assuming an employee cost of $15/hr).  Packages 
cost $44.00 delivered from California. 

I have never understood the big deal about wintering. Typically with a 20% loss over winter, 50% or 
more of the hives can be split out in spring. Assuming you buy a $15 queen and weather is good you 
have 2 producing hives. 

Help me with the math please.....

***********************************************************************************
* Full guidelines for BEE-L posting are at:                                       *
* http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm                               *
***********************************************************************************