> That brings us to the question: Are your bees as productive as the bees
> which you remember from ten years ago?

First, let me make this clear that this is a commercial  and profitable 
operation.
This summer we had bees on beans that were filling/capping shallow supers in 
6 days-this is as productive as I ever remember on summertime bees.
As far as production compared to 10 years ago, it is hard to say 
definitively but I would say "probably they are just as productive-or 
close".
As far as production compared to others in this area I have never had any 
indication that my hives were anything less than the average in this area(as 
I have stated before onlist). This has been consistent in my "pre-tolerant" 
stock and has continued in my tolerant stock. I have looked at this issue 
closely as to me this is the bottom line issue.

I think  this bears repeating: all observations I have made are that the 
varroa resistant bees are as productive as those from other stock.

Finally I wouldn't go to court about the population thing, but it frankly 
does seem that way.   I certainly don't see scads of dead bees or disease. 
on the contrary, my bees are looking as healthy as I remember.

John Horton
N Alabama

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