> Hello Tom & All
>
> Would I be right in saying that with the advent of varroa, thereby causing
> the destruction of the feral colonies and colonies in the hives of non
> compliant beekeepers, that there should be an increase in the forage
> available to the compliant beekeepers?
> Has that been the experience in the UK and the USA?

I have not seen bigger honey crops because of the lack of feral colonies. I
was sure I would but really hasn't been the case in the Midwest (in my
opinion).  The size of our Midwest honey crops is directly connected to
rain, temperature, sub soil moisture and at times humidity ( and of course
the condition of the bees).  We get a low production year, a couple of
average years and then a bumper crop once about every four years (if we are
lucky).  The good beekeeper can always gage the crop by weather conditions
in the Midwest. I am putting the last cleaning on the honey house today and
hopefully will start bringing honey in  tomorrow.  Looks like a average to
above average year for me but hard to tell until all nectar has been reduced
to honey. Some of the yards are still bringing in nectar and for other yards
our main flow is basically over.
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
Odessa, Missouri