<I find my backyard Beek neighbors don't always practice BMPs for mites or SHB and loose colonies year after year when they shouldn't.>

I think it would help everyone if there were a shift of focus in beginner beekeeping classes - the very first class shouldn't jump into the "how to" right away, but present an overview of what it takes to be a good hobby beek - reviewing what must be done to keep healthy hives and not suffer losses year after year, how many hours/week, etc and the consequences of not doing IPM.  If someone is dead-set against treatment ("survival of the fittest") that's fine if they're isolated but no-treat hobbyists often don't realize they're screwing up every other beek within a 3-5 mile radius. 

Beekeeping has become a fad, but the public should know that the best thing they can do to "save the bees" is plant habitat, not use pesticides, and if they want a hive in their yard, consider getting one through a skilled beek who does hive hosting. What we notice here is that folks who are really more interested in being "bee havers" rather than "bee keepers" give up after year 2, which is usually when the consequences of inattention and ignorance finally catch up with them.

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