WVBA Member

Dewey M. Caron Emeritus Prof U Del Affiliate Faculty OSU dmcaron@udel.edu The attached pdf titled Queens WVBA , is the accompanied slide presentation to Dewey's talk on Queen Rearing.

It has become obvious that we cannot reduce the stress that varroa mites cause to our honey bee colonies by starting our mite control in the fall. Although it is the dispersal (phoretic) mites feeding on colony adults or reproducing mites in capped pupae cells that we control, the real issue is that mites enable the spread of the deformed wing and paralysis viruses that lead to colony death. Most of you have had a chance to look at bees this spring. We MUST flatten the mite growth curve NOW...

The basis of honey bee winter survival lies in their ability to fo rm a winter cluster. The winter cluster is a precisely organized, dynamic structure that functions like a biological heating system. It is worker bees instinctively gathering together, centered around the queen and remaining brood. Ideally the winter cluster will form between boxes (in 2-3 box hive configurations). It moves upward as the season progresses to maintain contact with honey stores. This initial positioning...