>I don't think either survey represents the entire picture and I don't think they even can- it will always be a work in process. 

Exactly right!. Both surveys are conducted by smart well-meaning people They are trying to tease out what is going on in the beekeeping industry and by extension the greater environment. I have great difficulty filling out the BIP survey because I don't keep that accurate track of what I do each time I'm in the yard. If I see a problem I try to solve it. That can be splitting, combining, requeening, boosting, or treating for mites or disease. Not to mention seasonal management decisions that skew colony numbers temporally.  All of which will make it impossible to accurately represent my operation to them and makes my numbers unreliable. After participating the first few years I no longer fill out the survey thinking that I am not giving information anyone should take to the bank. I do applald there effort in education and research and hope it continues. NASS which I do fill out each year is somewhat easier. I can keep track of annual colony counts on specific dates and accurately report my honey yields and carryover etc. Their data is however dependent on voluntary self reporting and for that reason alone puts some numbers in doubt.  What we should concentrate on is trends, and sucsess and failure strategies, and not fixate on specific numbers. Some wag smartly stated that the reason economists use decimal percentage points is to prove that they have a sense of humor.

We don't need tons of data (but we do need some) to know what works and what doesn't.  Economics will determine what strategies work on a commercial scale. Longevity will tell on the hobby level. The grapevine does a wonderful job of disseminating knowledge among those that keep up. Beginners can get good information from many sources if they truly want to improve their skills.  

There remains a giant gorilla in the room and that's for research to proceed in this day and age they need to attract funding. To sell news articles reporters need sensational headlines. There are those trying to advance their own agenda. That can lead to an unholy alliance in-which no one is to blame but the real truth is not revealed. It will take people a lot smarter then me to figure out how to do surveys better. It's all I can do to keep my bees healthy and productive and BEE-L is a great help with that. Thanks all!

Paul Hosticka
Dayton WA

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