Hi all,
 
    The last message written by our common friend, Murray McGregor, was
excellent in giving many details and a general feeling that sugar feeding is
a good idea.
 
    I agree with you, dear Murray, in most of your points. However,
 
* I do not believe that the losses through intensive "industrial" beekeeping
are as you say "RARE"; many official general statistics showed, as I said,
dangerous losses (over 50% in some industrial beekeeping countries);
 
* I agree that the above losses are not connected ONLY to sugar feeding, but
to several factors; however, sugar feeding may be the last bad "drop", among
many others, don't you think so?
 
* I believe that having more bees after sugar feeding means NOT necessarily
that these bees are more resistant to various diseases; on the contrary...
 
    Do you know ANY scientifical study which shows that sugar feeding has
really improved the RESISTANCE towards varroa, tracheal mites, AFB a.s.o.?
 
* I'm almost 100% sure that a correct study done on two types of colonies
(sugar fed and non-sugar fed) will show that the sugar - fed ones have lower
resistance towards varroa and/or other diseases.
 
    It's just an hypothesis which may be interesting to verify in practice
by experts as you are.
 
 
    Best wishes to all of you,
 
Stefan.
 
PS I enjoy very much our discussions, even if sometimes our spirits seems to
go in "flames"...
 
    The winners should be our bees and not our "ego-s"...
 
    :-))