Two other things that come to my mind but again, that I have no way of giving back up for, are:
In the 70s the roads were gravel and I could drive for miles and not see a house.  Farms and properties seem to have gotten smallers and there has been houses built along every road that use to have empty streches.  The reason this might make a differrance is cause of the water it brings to areas during droughts.  

I also wonder about the compatition in later days after mites.  I don't know what to believe here, but wonder if all the feral hives that crashed with the arrival of mites did reduce compatition and so even if the natives bees did not change, that might have changed.  The ferals may be built up again and I hear differrent views on this but if not, that would have to make a differance.  In the places where there has been a big knock down of trees to make fields bigger it would also have removed spaces for non-managed bees to live.

Randy, I don't know how a guy can connect dots of all the things that can affect stuff and would hate to try and write an artical about it but I will read yours when you write it.

I do remember reading Miller (I think) in fifty years with the bees, saying he wishes he would have thought more on how many bees to have in one place.  I think he had like 150 in one place.  I wonder if there is an over all difference in how people are spreading thier hives.  When you devide your hives and come up with 45 acres, is it simular to how miller kept bees.  Cause at 150 hives sitting in one place, that would be like 12 acres per hive.
I am new and not smart yet but am enjoying reading and thinking about this and all of you guys/girls comments.
Cheers
gww

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