Hello Jerry ,Paul & All,
While Jerry tries to determine which of the chemicals is the cause of CCD. 
or which combination of 1,2 or say 3 many of us have moved on to simply 
realizing old comb is a problem and replacing.

I pushed hard on BEE-L for U.S. beekeepers to replace comb and then they 
would see the success I was getting. Took four years to replace my comb.

However despite the findings of Jerry there are still plenty of bees being 
kept on comb like Jerry describes and many of those guys have got the best 
bees ever this year. Two years ago I would have bet money contaminated 
comb was behind industry problems. Sure bees do better on noncontaminated 
comb but it seems now that N. ceranae, virus and getting a low varroa 
control still are the main issues. 

I have taken quite a bit of kidding over my advice for guys with a huge 
number of hives to replace all their comb. Those guys delite in showing me 
how well their bees are doing.

Despite the 37% hive loss statistic for last year. Most of us are fighting 
the same old issues. varroa, nosema and queen supercedure. Over the last 
five years I have not spoke with a commercial beekeeper which has not seen 
some of the documented CCD symptoms in his bees.

I have seen nosema ceranae move through a yard effecting all hives. Thanks 
to Eric mussen I have found you can turn those hives around. I personally 
doubt I will ever have a problem with nosema ceranae again. I also think 
if researchers had gave us a warning when they discovered the new nosema 
many hives could have been saved but trying to find out who knew what and 
when will not help.

The new problem is *virus issues in bees with low varroa load*. So far 
depopulating susceptable hives seem to be the only answer. Remove those 
genetics.

back to the bee yards! Break over!

bob

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