We have heard on BEEL the claim that losses are cyclical.

Not  claim but an observation that many pest/host relationships are
cyclical. They tend to follow a gradual buildup to peak then crash and start
all over again. Could also be the conditions in an area, conducive to
growth, then the conditions change and the pest crashes. (I still think that
is coupled with past disappearing disease outbreaks.)

It is interesting that Tracheal Mites are a classic model for pest/host
cycles, as they hit with massive die-offs then disappeared. A small point.
Aussie bees have not bee pressured by Tracheal and most beekeepers have
forgotten that it is still around.

This year several beekeepers in northern Maine were hit by it. A few years
back, another large operation suffered measurable losses from TM.

I preach this a lot, but TM has not gone away and my bet is some of the
die-offs were/are TM but not identified as such. Out of sight out of mind.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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