Steve suggested:
>      An outfit would not have to convert their whole operation all at  once.

Hi Steve,  many are doing that kind of experimentation.

>      Also Randy, while I'm on your case, if you do an experiment and you
>  don't measure certain parameters such as mite load and then both the
>  experiment and the control crash what have you learned?

I did measure mites by a "standard" method--natural 48-hr mite drop
every week (did you read the article--it's posted to my website for
free viewing?)  I chose to disrupt the colonies as little as possible,
and had planned to take initial mite levels in early spring.  In
retrospect, I wish that I had taken them in the fall.

The main focus of the experiment was to see if colonies started on HSC
would be productive and thrive without treatments.  Therefore, I
measured weights and frame strength directly, mite level indirectly.
Plenty of data collected for an unfunded experiment.



> You would have to be looking very carefully to know if there were any colonies that had  absolutely no mites and did not crash,

Not sure I follow--I can check the ones that did not crash to see if
they had mites.  Visually, it looks like yes, based upon the guanine
deposits on the cell ceilings.  But none of the colonies appear to
have had sky high mite levels.


  Did you test for  Tracheal mites?

Steve, how far do you live from Grass Valley, Calif?  Give me your
cell number, and I'll invite you to help!  I can use eager volunteers
such as yourself.

 What other possible  vectors for viruses might there be?

Work by Chen, Higes, etc suggest viruses vectored vertically in semen
and eggs and in corbicular pollen.

>     Also, Randy, while I'm on your case, I understand the financial sacrifices you make for the love of beekeeping, but it can't be all that bad.

I can deal with the poverty.  It's my poor kids who get embarrassed
having to go to school without shoes.  I tell them that I had to spend
the money on science...

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