James Fischer wrote:
> I think Jerry B. has made it clear that CCD continues to
> be a real and significant problem for an expanding list
> of operations from tiny to huge, spread hither and yon
> about the lower 48 states of the US,
I see a problem but I do not see how significant it is. From all the 
"data", which is not that good and mostly SWAGs from researchers 
(involved or not), CCD losses are about 2-5% of colony losses across the 
US. Those numbers are not significant in view of the confirmed 
difficulty of pinning down losses to CCD alone or at all. Compared to 
losses from mites, losses from CCD are minimal (unless you are the 
beekeeper).

If there are losses this year, they should appear now, in the fall, when 
clusters start to form. This is also the time that losses from Varroa 
are peaking. Varroa is a viral problem, so CCD, if it is viral, will 
also peak at this time. The problem, as noted often on this list, is 
with beekeepers who can tell the difference. Varroa loss implies 
management, while CCD does not. It is basic human nature to point the 
finger elsewhere.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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