>When I ask what they treated with there is a silence and then admission that they didn't treat. Most say they didn't want to put "that stuff" in their hives. Most are on the waiting list for more bees, but I'm sure many have just given up. 

In addition to my comment:

Too many variables exist to place the
entire blame on not treating. 

"Lack of evidence should never be
considered proof of evidence lacking"

Was the beekeeper asked any other question
besides 'did you treat'?

If I may use this analogy:

There was a segment in the Christmas
Story where little Ralphie went blind due to
'soap poisoning' -caused by Palmolive soap
(which as we all know is known to cause 
 blindness).

But then again, like the segment on the 
Christmas Story, could the 'sole reason'
blamed for the colonies crashing be as simple 
as the result of -an over active imagination?
,,,and not fact supported? 

The facts are that,,,,
Colonies rarely crash due to 'single causes'.
As in aviation disasters, there are always
contributing factors if one were to take the 
time to properly investigate.

Colonies tend not to succumb to varroa in their 
first season.  That being said, spring nucs, 
being split from mature colonies are not new
colonies, but could be better described
as small mature colonies more than one
season old.

I have enough years in no-treatments
to know that even a minor elevation
of mites at the early part of the season
could spell disaster in the Autumn to 
non-treatment as well as treatment 
beekeepers.  Knowone is immune to
colony troubles, and the assumption 
that 'failure to treat' causes crashes is 
an assumption which has no basis in fact.

It is well within possibilities that the 
nucs came with a mite load, and if
one subscribes to the treatment of bees, 
-it perhaps may have been recommended 
that they be assessed upon arrival to see 
if they are in need of early treatment.

(Notice I stated 'assessed'.  Being 30 plus
years in pesticide application, pesticide 
should NEVER be applied without first 
determining that there is a need for 
application.)

I have seen mite infested colonies 
survive in my area without treatments
providing they can get thru the first 
two years without crashing.   

Mite reduction in a colonies which are
relying on resistance mechinisims, are
perhaps relying on an array of mechinisims 
which may be more effective at different times 
of the season, as well as promoting a gradual
reduction of mites over a long period of time.  

When given time to work over a period of 
time, mite levels and associated stresses 
should drop and mite levels permitted to be 
maintained at very low levels which are
conducive to better colony health and 
not conducive to rapid mite growth.
This IMO, providing you are in an area with
a healthy feral population and low 
mite pressure from domestic colonies.

Best Wishes,
Joe Waggle







  

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