Somebody wrote to me off-list saying:
   
"We did not start having issues with queens until about 20 years ago when  
we started putting chemicals in our hives for Varroa.  In the last 20 years  
it has become worse and we have changed chemicals and started using higher 
doses  of existing chemicals.  Look at Check Mite / Chumphus (sp?).  Dr. 
Fell  at Virginia Tech has done research on this and proved it shortened a 
queen's  useful life.
 
There may be an issue with changing climate and changing forage / food but  
this is not as severe and as close to the issue as the chemicals in the 
hive  are."
 
Just because something happened at a certain time doesn't necessarily make  
it cause and effect.  Arguably, the problems might be caused by the varroa  
and the chemicals are innocuous.  Could Dee Lusby or any other 'organic'  
beekeepers say whether their queens are performing like they used to in the 
good  old days which always look so good through rose-tinted spectacles.
 
Chris
 


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