'YELLOWJACKETS' ARE HUNGRY FOR HONEY BEE LARVAE IN AUGUST!

 When removing drone brood from a few production hives yesterday, I noticed that I was attracting Yellowjackets to my pickup truck bed.  These insects are both very hungry and attack in VERY large numbers this time of the year.  In a bad year, I have seen them systematically take down a row of 5 production strong hives, one after the other. 

I have had some success using baited traps in the Spring to catch the solo overwintering Queen Yellowjackets, thereby reducing to load of individuals available to attack my yards in the Fall.

On the subject of yellowjackets...

VARROA MITES CAPTURED ON DRONE BROOD IN LATE AUGUST

 This is what varroa look like when you remove frames of drone brood from the hive.  The Varroa Mite (varroa destructor) breeds and feeds under the capped cells of honey bees.  It prefers Drone Brood because drones take longer to develop in the pupa stage, and have more Fat Bodies.  Beekeepers remove special frames of drone brood sized cells as a non-chemical means of controlling the mites in the hive.  It is a labor intensive, but extremely effective method of reducing mite load.