I would love to know what the mite count is on that hive, since it small cell. It would be very educational and good information for us people trying to regress to small cell.
Annette
You didn't hear all the feral hives are gone. (MB said something like that with toungue in cheek)
On all the feral hives I have done even those in swarm mode (those have lots of drone cells). My mite count is usually very low. It is hard to do a mite count sine you really can't so a shake off on a feral hive. I do inspect feral hives. I use to be much more critical about it when I first started. All the fear of having AFB, mites or something else come into my bee farm and destroy my hives. But after a while a little light goes on over your head. The feral survivors survive for a reason they are accumulated to dealing with the threats that exist out there.
The worst I see in feral hives is chalkbrood and then very mild instances of it.
The thing is with feral hives if there is an issue. They either don't survive or abscond. That is why when you find those 15 year old hives you start grabbing as much brood larvae as you can feed every last one of them royal jelly and turn into queens and sell them on ebay for millions, thus retiring to Australia a rich man where they have no Varroa. But I digress on mentioning my financial plans.
Most of the feral hives I see have small cell or close to it for their brood. Drone cells, pollen and honey cells vary widely.
Sincerely,
Brendhan