Cosmos

Lovely sunny day today but temp. only 12C.  Tough Northern
black bees are not deterred and have been foraging for winter stores.
Cosmos and rudbeckia and a late budleia (wrong sp.?) have been most
attractive today.
We have done a varroa mite count after putting a thymol paste into each
hive.  Each colony averaged just 1 dead mite/day.  So there's nothing to
worry about - unless the mites have become resistant to the treatment!
Very unlikely- let's think positive!
Two hives are showing evidence of mice making nests above the top
boards.  They use shredded insulation material (sacking and carpet
underfelt).  We need to catch them in humane traps and release them
a long way away.  If we leave them the mice may venture into the brood nest
as the weather gets colder and the bees cluster.   They cause a lot of damage
as they gnaw at the wax combs.  If the bees become active they may sting the
mice to death but the comb damage will have already been done.
XXQBXX