> The treatment free hives may be surviving because there is an unknown resistant trait, or they may be surviving because the vector/virus complex is such that they aren't at high risk. This is written very quickly / not cited, but I just wanted to prompt discussion on this.

Hi Meghan
Thanks for chiming in. This has been an ongoing discussion here at Bee-L, for decades in fact. About 10 years ago I wrote a series of articles in the ABJ about treatment free beekeeping. Subsequently I have tried most of the approaches and none of them ever worked. 

I cannot tell you why that is, other than I believe that there are a lot of other beekeepers in this neck of the woods, doing a lot of different things. Probably the sheer density of hives in the township is the key factor; and the one I can't do a thing about. In nature, a healthy balance might come about naturally. 

Another thing: we have a local beekeeping association and the majority of the beekeepers in the area do not attend, apparently do not even know each other, or do not associate with one another all that much. So the idea that the community could work together on these problems, seems unlikely.

PLB

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