> We have had a couple of cold winters here, but the that doesn't explain the overall trend of winter losses in those areas

I have to disagree. The record cold most certainly CAN account for high winter losses. This is borne out by a century and a half of reports on winter losses in this region. 

Conversely, crop use can NOT account for the losses because as I said, much of the loss was in non-crop areas. A large part of NY, PA and New England is covered with forest. 

Finally, it should be pointed out that very few commercial beekeepers state in the Northeast during winter, because the winter losses are so unpredictable. Were this not the case, how could they justify the expense of trucking back and forth to Florida or SC?

We all know that twenty years ago it was common for Canadians to restock their hives every spring and make a very nice profit using package bees. Wintering bees is a gamble, like everything else. And as I said before, people are looking for something or somebody to blame. The world doesn't owe beekeepers a living, so either make it work, or find something else to do.

PLB

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