On Tue, 26 Mar 1996, David Eyre wrote:
 
> Vince Coppola wrote:
> >Rank was determined by the number of times the characteristic was a "1"
> >or a "2" in the returned forms. I had planned to do more with the results
> >but the response was not adequate.
> >
> >Number of responses - 38
> >Number of useable responses - 29
>
> I think, Vince, this explains why beekeeping is in the state it is in, there
> are people out there with good ideas and total dedication. Unfortunately as
> this response shows there is a sad lack of committment to follow through.
> There are approximately 600 members of BEE-L and only 6.5% responded, a
> pathetically low number. We can probably make the excuse that those not in
> North America didn't think you expected them to reply, but is is still a
> very low number.
>         Roy Nettlebeck is pleading for us to work together, and yet we
> haven't got the time to fill out a questionaire, when we are sitting at the
> computer anyway!!!!!
>     ****************************************************
>    * David Eyre
  Hi David and everyone.The poll was taken and the responses poor from
our standpoint. I thought it would be better , like 100 + would have been
great for beekeepers. This list is not all beekeepers.Beekeepers are
passive as a rule.We have lost a lot of hobby beekeepers and there wasn't
many screams from them. They just put the gear in the shed or burned it.I
hope we try to talk some of them back into beekeeping. I was giving out
apistan strips to hobby beekeepers in my area and talked to them about
the mite. Some still have the bees and they wintered well.
  I do want to take something posiyive out of the poll. Those that care ,
made a statement on Varroa.We want honey ,but we want Varroa under
control just as bad.I wrote something this morning 4 pages. When I was
done I would not post it. I feel that the people that are real beekeepers
will see the light and want to help. What we will have is a bunch of
winners , because we are not going to give up. That mite will not stop us
, it is just one problem that needs to be cured. Beekeeping has been
around a long time and the bees and the beekeepers have had to ajust to
change.
  The power in people can do almost anything. Yes, it takes hard work by
people dedicated to there cause. Vince just asked people to raise there
hands and be counted for what they thought was important. Enough said.
 Now we have to work on a plan.ABJ March 96 page 203  Honet-bee
Improvement Program bym Jack Griffes. It is outstanding.They call it
HIP.I see that they had 10 beekeepers together now.Jack wrote,  As I said
before,We are all in the same boat being sunk by Varroa mites (and other
problems ), so why don't we band together to work out a long term
solution?" They already have a plan and it is working.They want more on
board , not the sinking ship. We all live there.One small step, and I
think we can all remmember that step on the moon. It took a lot of work
to get there and we have recieved many benifits from the research. We
need many , many people doing there bit and the mite will not be a
problem for the long haul. All of us keep a keen eye on nature, I would
bet that during the process of taking care of the mite we will come up
with at least a few other positive results.We will learn a lot more about
the bee and its genetics. Lets all take a dep breath and think about ways
we can help each other.The world is one and we have people all around the
globe that love bees and have kind hearts.
 God Bless
 Roy