re: "musing on the differences in hive survival rates and management practices between the sideline/hobby beekeepers and the pros" with the implication that survival rates are better for commercial beekeepers.

What data supports that implied statement?  And how was that data normalized for beekeeper experience and apiary setting?

I ask because I've seen no good data on comparative survival rates other than at the very highest levels.  I have seen nothing that normalizes for actual experience (and I do not consider the 'master beekeeper' certification to be a valid substitute or even a good proxy for the experience of opening thousands of hives).  And I've seen precious little that attempted to normalize for the differences in setting (such as the aggregate observation that commercial beekeepers will spend more time in agricultural settings while hobbyists tend to have a much higher concentration of apiaries in suburban environments).

So how do we know that commercial beekeepers actually have better survival rates?

​Mike Rossander

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html