Wellsir, there are probably several easy to read reasons why, but I lost two hives in the last two-three weeks. The lawn service promised me that the poison they used wouldn't hurt my bees but something caused an immediate collapse of one and a lingering death of the other. It appears to me to be too coincidental.
I checked with an experienced beek and she told me to close them up the day ahead of the service and not open again until the next day. That seems risky during the summer but I cannot afford to lose another so i guess I will.
One hive make swarm while I am gone. I hope it is still in one piece as I plan on making a split with it. It may decide to make its own split.
I asked about a queen some guy put on the beek message board but it will probably be tomorrow before I hear back. I have asked Greg two years in a row for a queen but he either "forgets' or really does forget. In either case, I did not get a queen.
I hope to live for 50 more years as I want to learn enough about bees to actually raise them.
Ah well.