>  Richard kept
>saying as Michael Palmer says and then one winter he was wiped out from
>nosema.


And was Richard raising queens from his "survivor" stock...you know about
survivor stock, right Bob? Or, was he buying stock from places they don't
have a winter?

>  Michael from his post is not checking nosema levels...


I'm not checking with a microscope, true. But the results don't lie, either.


>Letting the bees die down to those which survive is not the best idea from
>my view point.


Not all die off but the survivors all at once.  It's a gradual process,
until finally the problems are minor.

>  or set a small yard of his bees aside and bred from the nosema survivors.


Exactly!


>  I would not depopulate hives and treat equipment except as a last resort due
>to cost in labor and lost production.


There are others on this list that have treated infected equipment with
Acetic acid. If I remember correctly, the cost was minimal. Dave C would
know, as it seems to be a common practice in the UK.

I think from your reply, that we're actually on the same page, Bob. It's
just that you speak Missouri, and I speak Vermont. Or something like that.
Mike


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