> I will attempt to write this letter without using the word ‘feral’.  ;)

So much for that plan :)

Anyhow, as I recall, you do not treat for mites and diseases, am I correct?

Assuming that, what sort of loss to mites and disease are you seeing in your 
bees?

I assume an attrition of 30% over a year is normal in a commercial outfit, 
with the actual number going up or down from there, depending on the 
particular style of management, and anything over that being attributable to 
things like diseases and pests or mismanagement resulting in malnutrition or 
starvation at some point. You mention performance.  I assume you are 
speaking of yield?

Also, although IO may not have made it clear, the original question was 
aimed primarily at the many who use +purchased+ stock.  I hear a lot from 
people who have their own survivor stock, but very little from those who are 
dependant on commercial channels for their stock.

We saw some time back how variable the tracheal mite resistance property is 
in commercial stock, and are told that even after decades of knowing about 
that feature, little has changed in the bees offered for sale when viewed 
over the whole market. (Some producers got the message, though).  Marla is 
out in California trying to make some inroads there.  Are we seeing results?

We do have some commercial queen producers offering bees that have a 
reputation for being hardy without treatments, such as the Russian stock, 
and I have heard that Adam, Danny and others are in the market with what 
they advertise as bees with resistance to common problems that are also 
commercially worthwhile.

Although knowing that there are small operators who have achieved their 
goals, like yourself and Dee Lusby, to name only two of many, I am looking 
to compile a list of mass market suppliers of queens who provide stock that 
can get by without chemicals at least most of the time and meet the 
requirements of commercial service, i.e. moving, crowding, mass feeding, and 
still make commercial crops.

Surprisingly, this info just does not seem to be forthcoming. 

             ***********************************************
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