> What has been eliminated as a potential cause?
>
> Honey bee tracheal mites
> Feeding - HFCS, protein supplement
> Chemical use for mite and disease control
> Source of bees
> Source of queens
>
My understanding is that they have been eliminated since they are not 
common to those who have reported CCD .

The problem then is did any of those on the list cause the problem for 
any who reported CCD and have those who reported been eliminated from 
the data base? It does work both ways- not common to all then any who 
lost bees because of the presence of any one of those is eliminated. 
Sort of a double elimination.

I am sure the CCD group has the following from each of those who 
reported so they can eliminate some of the CCD reporters:

1. Records of beekeeper mite inspections and the result of those 
inspections prior to and after CCD.
2. Invoices for feed used and spec sheets on those feeds.
3. Invoices for pesticides used in the control of mites.
4. Records of application of pesticides and the method of application.
5. Independent verification of the losses.
6. Independent tests for pesticide resistance.
7. Independent tests of remaining bees for VM and TM.
8. Independent tests for virus and other disease.
9. Independent tests for mites prior to the loss.

The first four are either required by law or are regular business 
practice so are available, so I am sure the group has seen them. The 
next four would be done by the group, and there appears to be some data 
on the website, but not the extent of that data. The last is available 
in several cases and is critical.

At a minimum, if we do not have the first four items on the list from 
each one who suffered major losses, then all we are relying on is the 
report of the beekeeper. Without the rest, we are relying on 
insufficient or bad data which makes for bad science.

Again, I do not doubt CCD exists since it has happened before but with a 
different name. My problem is with the extent of the problem and those 
who are piggy-backing on it, and the lack of credible information that 
exists before the problem was reported and even after.

Add to that my own and others direct observations of those who report 
CCD when it is mites. Some of those who reported sincerely believed that 
it was CCD. But after reminders of the state of their bees prior to 
their loss and/or follow up inspections, they agreed it was mites. Only 
a few who had heavy mite loads and were told to treat prior to their 
loss have stuck with their story and made the news. They will be the 
ones who are rewarded with relief funds if approved by the Congress.

If fund are made available, there will not be one mite or winter kill in 
the entire US. It will all be CCD. It almost is already.

My colony qualifies.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

******************************************************
* Full guidelines for BEE-L posting are at:          *
* http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm  *
******************************************************