Is gathering statistics on loss a good way of determining the "Health" of our industry? Colony mortality is only one indicator of the state of being. An easy one for The Media to grab onto and make into headlines to keep people focused on Media Outlets. But what does it really indicate? What are we trying to learn from the information gathered?

Is asking what happened a good way to find out what the state of our Industry is? Is the BIP asking why these colonies died? Do people know? Most of the beekeepers I worked with as an Apiary Inspector didn't know why their hive(s) died or sometime even that they were dead.

Are we asking the right questions? Maybe we should be asking why more colonies don't die, instead of why colonies do die. Are we looking at things in the correct manner? 

Headlines state that "US Beekeepers Lost 40% of Bees Last Year Alone". Catchy article title. But it's wrong. Shouldn't it read "Of the Beekeepers who answered a BIP Survey 40% of their Bees Died Last Year"? Or am I simply arguing semantics?

I hope I don't come across too critical of the BIP. I am glad that they are doing the work they are doing. I should know more about it. We all should.

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