On Wed, 25 Jul 2007 16:45:34 -0400, Brian Fredericksen
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>If this was a randomly occuring disorder then we would have more random
reports. Instead we have mostly feedlot operations affected. What does that
tell you?

Do you read the American Bee Journal? I posted this about one month ago:

In this month's ABJ:

Generally, the total loss experienced by commercial beekeepers
(managing more than 500 hives) was the lowest at 31.2% 
when compared to hobbyist (managing 1 to 50 colonies; 38.0%)
and sideline (managing 51 to 500 colonies; 35.4%) beekeepers.
However, the average loss reported by each group was approximately
the same.

From:

An Estimate of Managed Colony Losses in the Winter of 2006 – 2007:
A Report Commissioned by the Apiary Inspectors of America
by DENNIS VAN ENGELSDORP, ROBYN UNDERWOOD, DEWEY CARON, and JERRY HAYES, JR.
American Bee Journal 
July 2007

******************************************************
* Full guidelines for BEE-L posting are at:          *
* http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm  *
******************************************************