Hi Peter & All,

Peter wrote;
> If you are "studying" a method of controlling mites (biological or
> otherwise) you must have some evidence of mite levels you can give,
> otherwise all you are saying is "we don't have many mites" and it means
very
> little.
>

You got it right Peter, "very little" mites that is. This is probably a
really correct statement, For the Lusby's do state that they have "very
little" mite numbers in their colonies. So few that their bees manage the
level low enough for survivability and sustainability.  Not only do they
survive and sustain but as Dee has stated, either here on BEE-L or other
email list, that their bees are also bringing in surplus honey. This even in
a 100 year cycle drought and other beekeepers not doing so in their area. In
my opinion, they are responsible keeping bees as beekeepers in other
locations would love to do themselves.

Not only do Dee and Ed Actually keep their bees alive and well on 4.9mm comb
but so do others. for instance, a Gentleman in Alabama, Bill does so and in
spite of his neighbors losing bees from some mysterious unknown virus (that
was probably vectored by mites), Bill only lost a handful, Like four
colonies last winter out of around 500 colonies. This to me is impressive
and note worthy to say the least. Bill tells me he will never go back to
larger cells and bigger bees. This commercial beekeeper made the leap to
smaller cells and bees and is grateful he did, I am sure his bees are too.
Can't say the mites feel the same as Dee, Ed, Bill and others.

Dee wrote;
>  Not enough to be worth the time for the USDA to officially
>  do another official mite count test since 1997.
>

Peter replied,
> I don't get it. No one has checked your numbers for 5 years? You are not
> doing any mite counts yourself? I thought most beekeepers were checking
> their hives for mites. It isn't very hard to do.
>

I get it. Even the USDA feels it is worthless to spend time or bother to
count a "very little" amount of mites. They probably have better things to
do, like try to figure what strain of bee would be mite resistant enough to
survive, sustain and make surplus honey and all the while be gentle. Dee and
Ed, I am sure, have lots to do making a living producing honey and bees and
feel no need to count mites to fill the spare time. One thing they do feel
is worthy of their spare time is to share the methods they use in keeping
bees healthy.

Dee, maybe you should sit down and count your mites for Peter's sake. Is
there really a biological way to accuratly count mites with out a pesticide?

Keeping bees is a responsibility, happy Beekeeping,  d:~)>
  .  ..
c(((([
Keith Malone
Chugiak, Alaska USA
[log in to unmask]
http://takeoff.to/alaskahoney
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Norlandbeekeepers/

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