Almost 70% winter losses, absolute record

Winter was very hard and 30% winter losses were not uncommon in Finland.
The "Marla Spivak powder sugar"–testing for breeder queen selection was started.  The tests are made two times a year, in May and August, when there are lots of brood rearing.  The infestation rates are then counted in percents (%).  One decilitre of bees is about 300 bees.  The results were between 1 and 52 mites in 300 bees, in average 16,8 in May (5,5%) and 6,5 in August (2,1%).

Lots of queens born in 2009 were found drone layers, this is probably because lack of good drones in Haukkamaa mating station in 2010.  The varroa infestation was high in these drone hives and most of them (5/6) died in the winter.  The number of drone hives was therefore increased for this summer.

New nucs were made from every hive as much as possible, but still the hive number is under 100.

There was no varroa treatment in 2011.