I started with 2 packages 2 years age. I captured one of my own swarms and had three going into winter. I treat for mites but one was looking like it had low numbers. Condensation and freeze-thaw-refrezzes in the spring are killers. 3 degrees this morning. If they are alive they are clustered tighter than Dick’s hat band right now! Mine were swarm crazy this spring. (due to my ignorance) I could have given you another batch.
I only have about a half a quart of eatin honey left so spring time needs to hurry up. Imagine huddling together NAKED with 1000-2000 females and having to writhe around and vibrate so much that the whole group stays 97 degrees inside of a box thats outside in this weather!?!?
age=ago
Heh....1000-2000 naked ladies vibrating around me? Might be freaky fun...or it could be a winter long nightmare. Last summer we had two hives and I caught the drones in one hive all smoking cigars, drinking beers and looking at videos of naked queen bees......pretty sure the gals tossed all of them....then I discovered the hive ‘absconded’ in fall. Ungrateful women all left for some other harem. My buddy and I are starting to think we might not be worthy.