> Fortunately economics are catching up with them and only one remains and they may call it quits since it is a bit expensive to replace all your hives every year since they all die <




In my opinion, package and queen prices are too low. If they were more expensive, I imagine people would put in more care towards the management of their colonies. At the current prices, it's relatively easy enough for an average backyard beekeeper to replace their 2-3 dead outs every year.




Btw, locally oxalic acid is all the rage for treatments. But when I asked around in the past few years, there is very little difference in surviving colonies between those who treated with oxalic and those who didn't treat at all ( ~80% loss ). The number of surviving colonies goes up with those who implemented other treatments, either in addition to oxalic or on their own. And those numbers are even higher for those who treated and fed their bees as needed ( ~40% loss ). I don't have any info for this winter yet, but in January/February it sounded like the losses will be lower compared to the past.






Marcin


Chicago





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