Hi All To answer Carlo's question of how long hive live: I have removed a hive which was just over thirty years old. I know of a place on a cliff where there is a large beehive that goes into a crevice. More thann two hundred years agon people built a ladder out of cedar logs to the hive. Presumably they could only get the bit of the hive that protruded out of the crevice. When I was there there were bees - so bees have lived there for two hundred years - we don't know if there were gaps in that period. I also know of a hive in my town which is in an oak tree that has apparently been there for about thirty years as well. But on the whole I believe a colony will be it's strongest for about ten years in a decent size cavity. After that it will being to have too much black comb and being to smell - becoming grumpy and unhealthy eventually dieing. Soon a hot day will result in the uncooled hive falling apart with combs melting of the roof and it will soonn be re occupied, bees building frech new combs and so the cycle goes on. Hope that is of help. Keep well Garth --- Garth Cambray Camdini Apiaries 15 Park Road Apis melifera capensis Grahamstown 800mm annual precipitation 6139 Eastern Cape South Africa Phone 27-0461-311663 On holiday for a few months Rhodes University Which means: working with bees 15 hours a day! Interests: Fliis and bees Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post in no way reflect those of Rhodes University.