Opened my hives, pleased with what I saw.

[Ray Bayless]

I live in east central SC thirty miles away from Charleston and just want to toss some info about what's happening in my small yard. I over wintered, if you want to say we had one, six colonies 5 in double deep 8 frame and one in a 5 frame nuc deep with a medium 5 frame on top. The nuc has filled out enough that it is now in 8 frame equipment still deep and medium, I'm really pleased  with how they are coming along. The real action is going on in the other 5 colonies. They are busting at the seams with bees, lots of drones. I don't think the drones are mature yet because I don't see them flying. Three of the five had  burr drone comb that had stuck the top chamber to the bottom. Lots of pollen and uncapped nectar. I don't know where they are getting the nectar from but they are bringing it in. Redbuds are a minor source and bloom before the main flow of Poplar. The redbuds in my yard are putting out buds. I think that the main flow is coming real soon.
I am concerned with the varroa I saw in the drone comb I cut out. I guess there isn't a whole lot I can do about it right now. I'm thinking let the drones hatch, split the hives, get a laying queen then vaporise with oxalic acid twice about a week apart.
You guys in the north take heart, spring is on the way.

[Finski]

I'm thinking let the drones hatch, .

You are going to rear mites. One drone brood produces 10 mites.

If you have now 10 mites, you have  1000 mites in September.

[Ray Bayless]

I'm thinking let the drones hatch, .

You are going to rear mites. One drone brood produces 10 mites.

If you have now 10 mites, you have  1000 mites in September.

Now Finski that was taken a little out of context. What I was saying is what is my most important priority? The drones are already there, let them hatch, There's nothing I can do about it now. Varroa is a part of modern beekeeping but who knows that better than you. I'm saying that my priorities are 1--Make Splits. 2--Get a queen laying in new splits. 3--Treat the varroa with Oxalic Vaporization not once but twice about a week apart. I would rather use the trickle method but the only broodless period I saw was in the late fall. I did use formic acid after summer, mite away quick strips. They worked but the bees paid quite a price. This fall I will be using the trickle method but till then vaporization is all I've got.
If you have some other way I can treat for mites now that the brood is heavy, other than formic acid, I would very much like to know how to do it. Please share. Also, I understand that requeening in the fall also helps to reduce the mite load going into winter by creating a break in the brood cycle. I plan to rear enough queens to do this in all of my colonies. I welcome your advice.

[Finski]

Now Finski that was taken a little out of context. What I was saying is what is my most important priority? The drones are already there, let them hatch, There's nothing I can do about it now. Varroa is a part of modern beekeeping but who knows that better than you.brood cycle. I plan to rear enough queens to do this in all of my colonies. I welcome your advice.

I have had mites 30 years. ....I know nothing about modern.

You have six colonies. It is a good number.

I have teached in this forum 7 years how to kill mites and so called best beekeepers here have offered "do nothing method".
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