Allen said:
> Shame!  On average, to my eye, things are worse, not better than in 1999 
> and much worse than 2002.

Quite a bit has been written about tracheal mites and talked about TM on 
internet discussion lists. Most does not fit what I see.

Many researchers (which usually have not done TM research but have read 
research) say TM infestation is not race specific.

I have found just the opposite. With the Russian bees I might only find a 
couple TM in a fifty bee sample.
However my Italian bees always seem to need treatment from time to time. 
Generally once a year.

My NWC rarely were infested but TM were found. Especially in yards mixed 
with Italians. I have not done a post on TM for awhile but I said for years 
when the subject comes up it costs me fifty cents a hive to clear a hive of 
TM and my Italians make a super of honey over all my other lines so for me 
keeping the lines and  treating for TM makes sense.

I will say that Dr. Marion Ellis said in a Missouri meeting recent 
presentation that he asked for beekeepers to send bees with TM for his 
research and although bees were sent he still was short what he needed for 
his research. Wondered how big an issue TM was today.

I think Eugene Makovec was at the presentation ( I was not) and might 
remember Marions comments on TM.

I rarely find TM when I check at infestation levels ( black trachea and up 
to a 100 TM in a bee) but when I see numbers growing I treat. Even one black 
trachea in a fifty bee sample is enough for me to treat.

bob 

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