Hello Jim & All,
I have little time for a drawn out discussion of this issue but I will make
a few comments.

>The statement above is mere speculation.  All that can be said for
now is that many mundane things have been >>eliminated<< as possible causes
of CCD.  The symptoms of CCD are very unique.

Maybe but all DEADOUTS are being labeled CCD! I listened to the hearing of
3-29-007 on CNN.

 Many common problems have been found. From conversations with those
involved if you pulled out all the hives which starved, died from varroa &
TRACHEAL MITES, most hives tested possitive for European foulbrood, The
hives from the Dakotas came out of the worst drought in a 100 years and
total crop failure then:

How many CCD hives are there?

Hello! Reality check!

Samples to bee labs has never been the quick answer for the commercial
beekeeper. Six weeks is the normal turn around.  Most larger beekepers  have
got a small lab and do tests.

Jim seems to think beekeepers are for the most part too stupid to train. A
veiw actually told to me by a couple people in the USDA before ( names
withheld but not worried as I would never say their names). Sure a few
beekeepers  may not be able to do tests but does not mean we should not try
to educate beekeepers.

I really can not believe there are beekeepers around ( except maybe Jim)
which believe that the current die off is because of a single NEW problem
and all the other things I spoke of above are not part (if not the big
art  ) of the problem.

I have got many contacts inside the CCD team and especially in each bee lab
(as does Marla Spivak). I have got a real clear picture what the team has
found and now the team is kind of at a dead end.
I have spent many hours on the phone and with emails.

The bottom line today from the CCD team is a *weakened immune system*.

 The recommendation is too work on improving overall health of our bee
colonies.( personal communication with members)

Many of us are moving on with improving bee health to combat hive loss while
others sit by the phone waiting for the memo from the CCD team about some
new microscopic issue which may or may not have caused the CCD die off. One
thing for sure we are never going to be told the CCD problem is not solvable
until all funds for research are gone!

Hives out of California are boiling with bees ( personal experience) and
reports from Texas are good. California queen & package shipments arrived
yesterday in Nebraska and next week in Kansas on time.

Industry crisis?

I actually would not be saying the above execpt the members of BEE-L only
represent a very small segment of beekeeping as do the members of EAS.

Another reality check!

I want to see as much funding as possible poured into beekeeping and support
the CCD effort ( like I have said all along).

However BEE-L  is a discussion list and the truth of the issue needs
discussed.

having been friends for years as always I hope Jim & I can to agree to
disagree on some of the points he has made. I think some are valid and I do
agree .

Bob



--
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.


-- 
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.

******************************************************
* Full guidelines for BEE-L posting are at:          *
* http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm  *
******************************************************