Dean asked:

> 1.  who is keeping productive bees that were bred by any of the researchers
> that have been mentioned, that are not using any treatments?
>

Hi Dean,
I just got off from a long phone call with a Southeastern migratory
beekeeper whose family runs some 10,000 colonies.  I mention this since his
management reflects what I hear from many commercial operators.

There are few operators who don't use at least one synthetic miticide
treatment a year--they have too much at stake to take chances with varroa.
But most all I talk to are concerned about chemical levels in their
colonies, and trying to minimize treatments.  Treatments are costly in
labor, but better than having dead colonies, so they try to balance.

The Southeast beek runs Russians, and is very happy with them.  They allow
him to keep treatments down to one synthetic, and two thymol treatments
(Apiguard, or homemade).  He also makes lots of splits, which is a common
denominator of many successful operations.

His operation is far from "organic," but it is indicative of the shift away
from the constant miticide treatments common a few years ago in commercial
operations.  As the commercial stocks slowly get better (with regard to
mites), treatment frequency can go down.  I find this to be a very
encouraging sign that we are making progress!

This progress will become very important if Amitraz is pulled fromt the
market, as mentioned by David VanDerDussen.

Randy Oliver

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