Allen asks:
  Maybe someone has some ideas?

I have said on lists I offer a consultation service for commercial
beekeepers for a fee. This post is a example of the information you might
get. The beekeepers problems are very minor compared to the problems I
normally deal with.

> lost over 500 colonies to what was attributed
to Apistan resistance

You knew resistance was coming but you still lost two thirds of your hives!
has happened to us all. I know EXACTLY what its like to deal with a thousand
PMS deadouts. Keep your watch up as some beekeepers have lost 70-90)% of
their hives several times!

>queen rearing from the surviving stock.

I would suggest if you have not introduced outside survivor stock now is the
time as several choices are available at reasonable prices from Glenn
Apiaires, Charlie Harper or Purvis Brothers Apiairies.


>Prior to this loss, I requeened faithfully with commercial queens and quite
frankly was not entirely satisfied with the product

I could suggest some queen producer stock that are top honey producers but
their traits end there. In my opinion it will take a few years of selection
among varroa tolerant bees before their honey production rises to the level
of the current lines of high honey producing lines of non varroa tolerant
bees.

>I used coumophos for one season

You have got without a doubt some wax contamination issues.(Apistan &
Coumaphos)  I would start a serious removal  of brood nest comb (maybe two
to four frames a year new). I mark new frames or frames with new foundation
with current year. I rotate old comb to outside of the nest.


> and have relied on formic acid since then
with a late fall clean up using oxalic (evaporator) with good results.

Many northern beekeepers are doing as you are. An alternate treatment might
be ApiLife Var and then OA.

>Winter losses have been in the 4% and 8% range for the 2003 and 2004
winters.

Excellent!

>I getting a higher than normal percentage of dud cells this year.

Sometime happens but think about if things are different than has been in
past years.

> I find up to 20% are not viable.

You are saying 80% are viable? Not as high as possible but not low enough
for a large amount of concern. Use two jenter systems if you need more cells
. Cull the small cells and use only the best is what we do.

>open them up to find an off white larvae turning to brown.

Send a few to Beltsville if concerned. Slow return time but would provide
answers (hopefully).

> If I miss one, I find it in the nuc when checking mating and It has not
been torn down

Duds happen but I also believe your bees are not very hygienic. I would test
your breeder queen for hygienic behavior. I have a picture of the method I
use in the January 2005 article of mine in Bee Culture on the Russian bees.
Very easy to do and you can find out how hygienic your breeder survivor
queen is. If her bees are not very hygienic I would consider dumping her. In
my opinion hygienic behavior and varroa tolerance go together.

Hygienic bees should tear down most dud queen cells but not all. Yours do
not sound like they are tearing any duds down. The bees know when the queen
is dead in the cell.

>Colonies used as breeders and as starter/finishers have no visible signs of
sacbrood or any other brood diseases and mite loads are low to non-existent.

Then quit worrying and simply raise more cells than you need!

>I look forward to your input and realize that thus is akin to trying to
give someone a haircut over the phone. Any ideas would be appreciated.

An experienced beekeeper like yourself that can fully explain the problem
can get very accurate advice. I believe you provided enough information for
the correct response. Good luck! I did not even have to put my thinking cap
on for your problems!

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison

Ps. Also I might add that the worlds commercial beekeepers are on the
endangered species list. If you have got a problem ask another beekeeper.
Unlike when I started years ago most beekeepers will help other beekeepers
today!

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