On Thu, 17 Apr 1997 22:02:00 -0600 "Noel N. Troxclair,              Jr.
618-997-3919" <[log in to unmask]> writes:
>I polled a group of southern Illinois beekeepers (about 25 beekeepers)
>at a
>Beekeeper's Association meeting a couple of weeks ago (4 April).  The
>number of
>colonies per beekeeper varied widely among the beekeepers, but the
>average loss
>through the winter was about 40%. The range of loss was 100% for about
>half of
>those new beekeepers with a couple to half-a-dozen colonies to no loss
>for a
>couple of very experienced beekeepers with as many as 30 colonies.
>Total loss
>was about 70 colonies.
>
>I talked to another club president today; he lost 7 of 15 colonies.
>He said
>everyone else in the club lost 100% of their colonies.  Most of those
>(eight
>beekeepers) had around 6-7 hives each.  The president mentioned that
>he had a
>weak colony that was still alive last week when he checked them.  They
>were low
>on honey in the lower hive body where they were located but they had
>90 lbs of
>honey in the upper hive body.  They did not move up and he attributes
>his loss
>to the bees starving to death.  I have some reservations about his
>diagnosis.
>Anyone out there have any insight or different perspective as to what
>might have
>happened?
>
>                                       Sincerely,
>
>
>                                       Noel Troxclair
>
>Noel Troxclair
>108 Airway Drive
>Marion, IL  62812
>PH:  (618) 997-3919
>FAX:  (618) 997-6213
>
>  {
>Hi Noel,
        The first thing that comes to mind is that treatment procedures
were not adhered to and or there  were no effective treatment procedures.
I do not closely follow the prescribed mite control but never less they
are effective. Less than 10 %(~150 colonies) loss two years running after
a near wipe out. It is, I believe, still necessary  to aggressively treat
for both mites. Bees don't starve to death with honey in the hive unless
there is a contributing factor. I think more info should be gathered
before any serious conclusions can be drawn. Good luck.
 
                Regards,
Alden Marshall
B-Line Apiaries
Hudson, NH 03051
[log in to unmask]
tel. 603-883-6764