Wax absorbs a bunch of chemicals because it is lipophilic. Here's a nifty tip: if your queen flies away, which happens occasionally, pick up a frame and dump the bees off it. They will start fanning with their Nasonov pheromone which will be like a beacon. People talk about how they had bees and they did everything they could and treated and everything. Maybe you killed them! The only workable solution is breeding to replace losses rather than trying to prevent losses. In the long run, you will lose fewer. Breed your own queens! The only way you are going to get bees that survive your winters is to breed bees who survive your winters, not bees from Alabama and California. If you can get queens this time of year, it means they will be from the south and they won't be adapted to your conditions. By not trying to get bees early, you can raise them with proper timing and with with proper nutrition so you get a good quality well mated queen. You have time to make a quality queen and not pull her out of the mating nuc too soon so that she doesn't develop properly. Save money!!! Spare queens, i fyou need one, she's there. Most importantly, it contributes to maintaining the overall diversity of the species. The kick test: If you walk up to the hive and kick it and they come pouring out, requeen them! Sugar syrup off balances the pH and microbial culture in the hvie causing more brood disease. It's ntot worth the effort anyway. Robbing, drowning, work, travel, etc. Forget the pounds per hive, figure your pounds produced per hour of work. Fourth step: Natural comb. Bees have been enlarged. It's better to let them build their own size or put them on a more natural size. Killing drone comb selects for varroa that likes worker. Fantastic talk, full of practical information.
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