.> My point being the square mile pictured would, at best, sustain about 5 
colonies and only with the caveat that bee food plants are blooming in 
succession to sustain brood rearing throughout many months.

Thanks Kathy!

A good example is the state of Iowa. In the past at times Iowa ranked in the 
top five states for honey production. ALWAYS higher tham Missouri! The last 
two years crops have averaged less than 30 pounds per hive. The Stanley 
brothers claimed last spring in a Bee Culture "letters to the editor " they 
used to average 300 pound honey crops in the area now seeing poor crops.

I have NEVER saw a 300 LB. AVERAGE in my 50 years of keeping bees but have 
had plenty of hives produce 300-400 pounds in good years. I really could 
care less the amount the Stanley brothers claim but only use the example to 
show there is a problem and like Jerry B. has said not necessarily a CCD 
problem.

Roundup ready:
The history of roundup goes back to Illinois my extension agent told me. 
Said farmers wanted to be able to farm hard to till ground. after roundup 
and no till was found to work on hard to till areas the chemical company so 
their chance > "Why not convert all farming to no till roundup and you know 
the "rest of the story"

Now farmers have a huge amount of idle time to sit in restaurants, bars and 
go fishing and crop rotation is *almost* a practice of the past. I have 
fields in my area that have seen corn every year for many years,
No wonder the weeds are becoming resistant to roundup.

Beekeeping is getting tough in the Midwest!

bob 

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