Bob said "Today's bees in my opinion are the most fragile that I have ever worked
with. Queen life is shorter than I have ever seen." 

And Randy replied. "Bob, this is my observation, too! " 

What do you guys call shorter? I have a lot of 2 and 3 year queens in my operation and some that are 4 years old. I just don't get the doom and gloom from you guys. Fragile bees? My operation is made up of hives with the same queen that wintered for 2-4 winters at below zero and a no fly zone for Nov-March.  I view myself as having "typical" success in this region.  

Randy is this doom and gloom what you find all over in your travels? I must bee living in a bee paradise here with no CDD and no big losses and the evil Bayer chems etc.  

Also FWIW this news story below seems to conflict with reports posted here about Vancouver Island BC. I talked to someone today in Abbottsford BC who has kept bees there for 3 decades. He agreed with the news article below and added that they had an unusual non winter with temps as high as plus 15C and that most beekeepers in his region had minimal losses..  Whatever happened on the Island appears to be isolated and relatively small with 2-3000 hives affected. 

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Vancouver+Island+beekeepers+warn+crisis/2660548/story.html

news article excerpt "He estimates there are between 2,000 and 3,000 colonies on the Island"

and more "But Stan Reist, president of the B.C. Honey Producers Association, said a variety of factors contributed to the deaths -- including a late fall harvest that tires out the bees and the timing of pesticide treatments."  and "Meanwhile, in the Fraser Valley, where there are many large commercial apiaries, keepers are reporting that it looks like a stellar year for bees. If the beekeepers in the Fraser Valley and in the B.C. Interior have been so successful this year, then it gives hope that the problem in the Cowichan Valley is isolated, said provincial apiculturist Paul van Westendorp"

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