> I will love to have a benchmark for the later: reduce chemical applications > ... or how much is enough? > > for example: > > Excellent: up to 1 (spring) p y/s, organic. > > > Nosema > . > Amazing: No fumagilin for 5 years, and no spores found. > I meet those criteria (except mine is a fall treatment of OA) and my bees are not Varroa tolerant. I have not treated for nosema for 15 years. As far as no nosema spores, that might be totally impossible since it is not a function of the bees, but the environment they are in. From all that I have seen, nosema is everywhere in a variety of forms and might even easily change into a new variant. One variant is sprayed as a pesticide for locusts. So, for me, the queens already meet the next to best criteria. Amazing: No treatment for more than 5 years/seasons!! > That is the real criteria. But then you get into arguments as to just what constitutes treatment. Bill Truesdell Bath, Maine *********************************************** The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html