65% of Alberta bee colonies are wintered outdoors. 20% of colonies are
wintered in southern British Colombia and 15% are wintered indoors.


This kind of information is exactly why the bee informed data is almost bad.
Here we have information that is defiantly right on the money and a key to
area losses, and yet not shown in the data.   How many of Ontario's bees are
wintered indoors?  OR NY?    Or the average area temp?  or snow fall (if you
look at bear mortality snowfall is a key.  More snow means bears winter
better,  guessing hives do also. (wind block)

Sometimes bad data is worse than no data.  As researchers they need to
continue to get a lot better at the collection techniques  and information,
or stop putting out information.  One other prominent researcher I know does
that also.   Big claim about how many pesticides were in hives  without
supporting data on how low the levels were and that the big majority thet
were tested were from only 2 different beekeepers.  Misleading, as is the
APHIS report.  
If the actively work from inputs of others to improve, then okay.

Charles

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