>>2010/2011 was 38.4%   2011/2012 was 25.3%   and this past winter was a staggering 45.1%. 

The trouble with these yearly winter loss reports,
is that they are not categorized.  Numbers IMO,
can be misleading and a waste of time.

There are knows and unknowns, -as it stands,
all winter losses are all grouped as just a number,
- they are no better than 'unknowns', -it tells
you nothing. 

We need to know all the symptoms of each loss,
as well as a history of the colony.

Even a categorizing of  'starvation' is too vague 
to be of any value, because there are at least
5 different types of starvation, each with 
separate and distinct causes and half of those
management related. 

The only way unknowns are of value, is if they
are included in a loss report which separates
that of 'known cause losses' with that of 
'unknown causes.' only then is it possible to
move forward in a practical manner. 

Joe Waggle
https://www.facebook.com/Historical.Honeybee.Articles
https://www.facebook.com/FeralBeeProject

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html