https://estradafarms.com/about/https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/img_47301.jpgIMG_4730https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/stairs-lights-abstract-bubbles1.jpgPlaceholder Image2020-01-29T19:20:48+00:00weekly0.6https://estradafarms.com/2019/03/27/survivor-bee-traits/https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/img_4997.pngIMG_4997Dead old queenhttps://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/two-queens-3.pngTwo Queens 3New queen killing old queen. Notice the "casual" workers letting the fight play outhttps://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/two-queens-2.pngTwo Queens 2New queen killing old queen. Notice the "casual" workers letting the fight play outhttps://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/two-queens-1.jpgTwo Queens 1New queen killing old queen. Notice the "casual" workers letting the fight play out2019-03-27T20:23:39+00:00monthlyhttps://estradafarms.com/contact/https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/person-smartphone-office-table.jpegPlaceholder Image2018-07-18T05:21:29+00:00weekly0.6https://estradafarms.com/2018/07/18/hive-brander/https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/img_4707.jpgIMG_4707https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/img_4706.jpgIMG_4706https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/img_4702.jpgIMG_4702https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/bee-brander.pngBee brander2018-07-18T05:01:17+00:00monthlyhttps://estradafarms.com/2018/04/06/the-coming-varroa-storm/2018-04-06T22:02:40+00:00monthlyhttps://estradafarms.com/2018/04/13/the-franken-hive/https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/plan-1.jpgPlan 1https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/img_4303.jpgIMG_4303https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/img_4302.jpgIMG_4302https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/plan-3.jpgPlan 3https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/plan-2.jpgPlan 22018-04-06T20:28:36+00:00monthlyhttps://estradafarms.com/2018/04/05/2018-almond-pollination/https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/img_4729.jpgIMG_47292018-04-06T17:35:44+00:00monthlyhttps://estradafarms.com/2018/02/24/first-hive-removal-of-2018/https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/capture21.pngCapture2Five partial brood frames in the middlehttps://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/capture3.pngCapture3Honey/pollen frames on the outsideshttps://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/img_4645.jpgIMG_4645Make sure the comb is cut to fit into the framehttps://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/img_4646.jpgIMG_4646https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/capture.pngCaptureThis piece of comb has a good mixture of capped and open brood. "Spotty" brood pattern is not uncommon in an overwintering colony.https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/img_4610.jpgIMG_4610Blowing some smoke from the inside of the wall to calm the bees.https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/img_4605.jpgIMG_4605Blowing smoke into the entrance. 2018-04-05T03:47:22+00:00monthlyhttps://estradafarms.com/2017/10/24/oxalic-acid-calculator/https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/img_4119.jpgIMG_4119Figure 4: a printed Oxalic calculator form with notes.https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/p1.jpgP1Figure 2: Input parameter of the Oxalic acid calculatorhttps://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/p3.jpgP3Figure 1: Treatment window shown in the Nuc calendarhttps://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/p2.jpgP22017-10-24T04:44:55+00:00monthlyhttps://estradafarms.com/2017/10/20/nuc-calendar-generator/https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/cal4.jpgCal4Figure 4: Step 4 in calendar generation processhttps://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/cal2.jpgCal2Figure 2: Step two in calendar generation processhttps://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/cal1.jpgCal1Figure 1: Step one https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/cal3.jpgCal3Figure 3: Step 3 in calendar generation process2017-10-22T14:54:25+00:00monthlyhttps://estradafarms.com/2017/06/15/survivor-bees/https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/excavator-bees.jpgexcavator beesUnderground beehive. Some of our best survivors have descended from this hive.https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/img_19941.jpgIMG_1994Beehive removed from an old building. Captured in 2009.https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/img_35371.jpgIMG_3537A swarm captured in 2017https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/img_01761.jpgIMG_0176Great survivor bees collected from an old trailer in the California desert. Captured in 2010.https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/img_01791.jpgIMG_0179A rare exposed beehive hanging from a tree branch. Another great survivor hive. Captured in 2011.https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/img_04281.jpgIMG_0428Biggest swarm we've ever encountered. Captured in 2013.https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/img_0429.jpgIMG_0429A very large swarm.https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/img_04311.jpgIMG_0431Swarm placed in a hive boxhttps://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/dsc02568.jpgDSC02568https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/dsc02581.jpgDSC025812017-10-01T05:14:03+00:00monthlyhttps://estradafarms.com/2017/09/19/toxic-plants/https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/img_3718.jpgIMG_3718Mature California Buckeye treehttps://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/img_3753.jpgIMG_3753Young California Buckeye treehttps://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/img_3755.jpgIMG_37552017-09-19T22:51:48+00:00monthlyhttps://estradafarms.com/2017/09/12/bees-forage-for-wax/https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/markup2.jpgMarkup2https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/markup3.jpgMarkup3https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/markup1.jpgMarkup12017-09-13T05:27:59+00:00monthlyhttps://estradafarms.com/2017/09/08/the-fresno-experiment-exponential-hive-increase/https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/img_3909.jpgIMG_3909https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/img_3750.jpgIMG_37502017-10-01T05:26:45+00:00monthlyhttps://estradafarms.com/2017/08/29/late-summer-checkup-and-thoughts-on-varroa-resistance/https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/varroa-mite1.jpgVarroa mite1https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/varroa-mite2.jpgVarroa mite2Notice the cell gaps that appear to be a spotty brood patternhttps://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/varroa-mite3.jpgVarroa mite3Notice how the white pupa stands out in the brown backgroundhttps://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/img_3896.jpgIMG_3896My daughter Priscilla (left) and my two nieces Lety (middle) and Miranda (right) are excellent varroa countershttps://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/img_3898.jpgIMG_3898Varroa - death by drowninghttps://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/img_3897.jpgIMG_3897Sacrificed Drone broodhttps://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/img_3890.jpgIMG_3890A cross-section of drone brood. You can see the infested cells.https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/img_3887.jpgIMG_3887The test frame of honey and drone brood.https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/img_3900.jpgIMG_3900The highly scientific experiment results2017-09-01T20:37:52+00:00monthlyhttps://estradafarms.com/2017/06/23/hygienic-bees/https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/cells-chewed-open.jpgcells chewed openIt is not natural for bees to uncap brood once it has been sealed. Hygienic bees can detect varroa and uncap and remove the pupa. 90% of the time, if you pull out an uncapped pupa, you will find varroa.https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/cell-size-4-8mm.jpgCell size 4.8mmWe measured brood comb from a feral beehive that we captured. On average, the cells were 4.8mm in diameter. We have seen cells as small as 4.5mm.https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/apistan.jpgapistanApistan is a widely used chemical treatment against varroa 2017-09-01T20:18:51+00:00monthlyhttps://estradafarms.com/honeybees/https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/dsc04470.jpgDSC04470Beehives making honey in the Tehachapi mountains.https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/img_3718.jpgIMG_3718https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/img_26881.jpgIMG_2688https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/img_2771.jpgIMG_2771https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/img_2687-e1498167204334.jpgIMG_2687https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/sdwo9185.jpegSDWO9185https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/nixh7664.jpegNIXH7664Either someone said something funny or we ate too much honeyhttps://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/szpr4376.jpegSZPR4376https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/pbcq8206.jpegPBCQ8206https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/chzu52811.jpegCHZU52812017-06-28T21:47:34+00:00weekly0.6https://estradafarms.com/2017/06/08/first-blog-post/https://estradafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/pexels-photo-30732.jpgPlaceholder Image2017-06-21T00:01:23+00:00monthlyhttps://estradafarms.com/blog/2017-06-08T18:10:24+00:00weekly0.6https://estradafarms.comdaily1.02020-01-29T19:20:48+00:00