Starting from nucs is hard work. I also wouldn't bother testing for mites because killing a few hundred bees from a very weak colony is not really a good idea.

Starting from nucs is hard work. I also wouldn't bother testing for mites because killing a few hundred bees from a very weak colony is not really a good idea. Also, be very careful not to expose bees -especially young nurse bees, which don't fly yet- to the hot summer Sun -- I once killed hundreds more bees that way than I'd needed to for a mite test. > I desperately want to be treatment-free - if I pick up that book would the lessons be applicable if I stuck with Langstroth hive bodies? Yes!, yes quite!