> a great number of small scale beekeepers use no mite treatments whatsoever, but that they also have higher losses than those that do.

This brings up an interesting point, one that I try to make for new beekeepers. It may be that you will have to replace your bees regularly, especially if you choose not to treat against mites. But this is nothing new, the packaged bee industry was built up around beekeepers needing replacements. It can be a viable solution to bee loss. 

Naturally, we would all prefer to be self-sustainable, and to this end folks are learning that they need to keep dividing their colonies. Again, this is not new. Langstroth included what he called his "nucleus system" for increasing colonies in his first book, published back in 1853. 

PLB

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