> > > I know disease when I see it. > How do you see nosema? How do you see any of the many viruses that affect worker longevity with no external signs? I don't waste time on queenless colonies, but do see many weakened colonies recover spontaneously. I'm not saying that one should try to keep them all alive in fall. All that I was saying is that I sure wouldn't combine a weak colony with a strong one. Better to combine weak with weak. -- Randy Oliver Grass Valley, CA www.ScientificBeekeeping.com *********************************************** The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html