> I will love to have a benchmark for the later: reduce chemical applications
> ... or how much is enough?
>
> for example:
>
> Excellent:  up to 1 (spring) p y/s, organic.
>
>
> Nosema
> .
> Amazing: No fumagilin for 5 years, and no spores found.
>

I meet those criteria (except mine is a fall treatment of OA) and my bees
are not Varroa tolerant. I have not treated for nosema for 15 years.

As far as no nosema spores, that might be totally impossible since it is not
a function of the bees, but the environment they are in. From all that I
have seen, nosema is everywhere in a variety of forms and might even easily
change into a new variant.  One variant is sprayed as a pesticide for
locusts.

So, for me, the queens already meet the next to best criteria.

Amazing: No treatment for more than 5 years/seasons!!
>

That is the real criteria. But then you get into arguments as to just what
constitutes treatment.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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