>
> > If a colony comes through the winter alive, too many are satisfied and
> believe that because the colony is alive at all, that it "lived through,"
> living through is all that could be expected...In reality many are losing
> ALL of their colonies, for spring finds them with more NUCLEI, not
> COLONIES.
>

Thanks for this quote Pete, since it brings up an important point when we
speak of the "normal" winter loss rate of 5 or 10% so often cited.

As the bee industry has shifted from honey production to almond
pollination, what used to be considered to be "live colonies" in early
spring may now be considered as "losses."  I wonder how much this has to do
with the self-reported anecdotal numbers now floated around as "data."

For example, each year I leave behind a few dozen "dead" colonies when I
move to almonds.  Those "deadouts" may contain a handful of bees and a
queen.  But by April, many of them have completely recovered, and built to
honey-production strength.

Now before someone tries to shove a hot iron down my throat, let me make
clear that since the invasion of varroa and N. ceranae, winter losses would
of course expected to be higher than in the past.

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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