>I understand that Randy (please correct me if I am wrong) was able to
duplicate the symptoms with the mix identified by Jerry.

Close, but not quite.  The inoculum that I used was mostly IAPV, and N
ceranae was already present in the hives.  I have no way of knowing whether
IIV was present, as samples from that trial were not sent to the Army for
analysis.

However, as my article Sick Bees 2 suggests, the combination of any of a
number of viruses, nosema, and chilling may well result in colony collapse.

>Moreover, I wonder if this criterion has been observed and measured in
> Jerry's study and in Randy's test to see if he could generate a breakdown
> which simulates CCD.
>

I have thought much about this very point, Allen.  Problem is, I don't alway
see robbing with deadouts, especially in cool weather.  I've often seen
obvious varroa/DWV deadouts sitting for a long time full of honey without
being robbed.

In my collapse trial, there was no noticeable robbing so long as there was
even a tiny handful of bees left in the hives.   And since the weather was
either cold, or when warm enough for flight a nectar flow was on, little
robbing would have been expected.

I do wonder whether the lack of robbing and lack of wax moth and hive beetle
are due to two different causes.  In sudden collapse, there is rotting
brood, which emits cadaverine, which may be repellent to bees.  If the
collapse was due to IIV, then there is the chance that the virus could kill
scavengers such as wax moth and SHB.

>
> >Pesticide poisoning in its various degrees is a separate topic and an
> important one, but one which people insist in confusing with collapse.  They
> are not the same.


Amen!

Randy Oliver

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