Jerry Bromenshenk wrote:
>  
> Just because some of the initial reports of CCD were from beekeepers,  most 
> of whom admitted to having mite problems, does not mean that all cases  of CCD 
> are mite related. 
It am saying that the real problem for beekeepers is Varroa/Tracheal. 
CCD may be around, but it is not the major problem.

The problem I have with CCD is that it did not appear in Maine with the 
colonies brought up for blueberry pollination. CCD like symptoms were 
noted but all were explained because there is an experienced observer 
here in Maine who has seen it all. Not to disparage University 
researchers or bee experts, but they are not really experienced in the 
world of Bees like the Bee Inspector of the caliber we have in Maine.

CCD like symptoms are not new since there is Disappearing Disease and 
Spring and Fall Dwindle. Lots of hypothesis as to what they are.

Beekeepers tend to see what they think they see and not what is actually 
there. Nothing new here. We are all subject to our own prejudices (I 
included). Beekeepers will not necessarily tell you everything, since 
some of their techniques may bee off-label. Plus all of us have a 
certain sense of ego protection and would like to be thought of as 
competent to know what is wrong with our bees. After visiting commercial 
operators in the Blueberry barrens, that is questionable.

As long as you have to rely on the beekeeper to give you a "before" 
snapshot, and often an "after" also, you have a major science problem in 
identifying just what causes CCD. The same problem exists if the 
observer is from a University but does not have many years of field 
experience to know what they are actually looking at.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

******************************************************
* Full guidelines for BEE-L posting are at:          *
* http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm  *
******************************************************