I have a 'split' from a colony that had varroa. The parent colony has
recovered well but the offspring is battling along with the worst chalkbrood
I've seen. I estimate 40% of the brood is mummified. I've raised another nuc
I'm waiting for the virgin to mate and lay and wish to unite the two. Should
I destroy the chalkbrood infested comb?

Re Cheap Imports

 By no means did I intend to offend people I would pay to work a season
with! I  feel that  exactly what we mean by 'making a living' has spiralled
totally out of control. All too often the living productive individuals make
is subsidising theives, be they politico mites, stockbrokers profiting by a
market collapse, or murderers with university libraries and color television
in their conjugal rights trailers. People running massive companies, with a
paper value of millions have only slightly more disposable income than good
plumbers. And ulcers.

Slave wages in the Empires are top dog salaries to the natives starving in
the dropped hot potato that's the economy of the third world. It's all so
very relative. Africa is dying.

The issues at the heart of this discussion are not directly bee related.
They may highlight the different approach to beefarming in various
countries, and labour practice and costs, but at the core is a
socio-philosophical-political-religious debate that has been raging since
time began. How much is enough? 100 hives? 1000? 10 000? Where does
husbandry end and exploitation begin? When have we given our children a good
enough bike/education/prom dress/ start in life? When does our beautiful
sports car that's more sculpture than transport become tasteless? What
exactly does 'Sustainable' really mean?

I don't have these answers. Ask me my point of view in 5 years when "the
bees keep me" (to paraphrase Oliver Field, Honey By The Ton ,Northern Bee
Books) I hope I haven't forgotten just how easy it is to starve to death by
then, and that I'm still making my living by the sweat off my brow and the
produce from my own labours.

I'll gladly wrangle the point [log in to unmask] ,but
feel it may be best to stick to Bees on this list...'cos it's the best one
I've found to date!

John Sewell.