We've been over CCD ad nauseum.

The fact is that a number of beekeepers experienced depopulation of a large
proportion of their hives with similar unusual signs--sudden disappearance
of the adult population, often with healthy-looking brood present.  This
syndrome was named CCD.  At the same time, lots of other beekeepers had
problems with varroa, EFB, and the other usual things.  Plus N ceranae
appeared to be undergoing a major initial invasion across the U.S., and
likely contributed to the losses.

The problem is, that beekeepers and the media called all colony mortality
CCD.  And many (even some on this List) blamed it all on the neonicotinoid
seed treatments.

Time has now shown us that (as some of us predicted) CCD would go away (as
had other instances of "Disappearing Disease).  The other problems haven't,
although it appears to me that our current stocks of bees have more
resistance to N ceranae.  Fewer and fewer of those in the know are blaming
the neonics.

In answer to the question as to what is causing the current high rate of
winter mortality, it's pretty easy to see that the varroa/virus complex is
#1, poor nutrition close behind, N ceranae in there somewhere,  EFB and
other mystery brood diseases in some cases, and total toxin load (including
beekeeper-applied miticides) wrapping up the rest.

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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