> The main selling point for fumidil was 
> research which found bees lives were 
> shortened by around two weeks.

> Many commercial beekeepers with a 
> calculator could see one could increase 
> honey yield with fumidil B.

A beekeeper with a hive scale could disprove that the primary problem with
Nosema apis was shortened lifespan.

For untreated colonies, one would not see the sharp daily spikes in hive
weight indicating "a good day" of foraging, nor would one see the a rapid
expansion of broodnest size.  For treated colonies, one would.  So, the
primary productivity enhancement was NOT lifespan related, but instead, a
simple matter of a healthy colony producing more each day, even early in the
season, even despite the "cost" of raising more brood.  Clearly, this was
not merely due to a lack of attrition. 

NWCs with Nosema apis tended to build up in spring like their
far-slower-to-react Italian cousins.
Ah, for the good old days, when Nosema could be reliably knocked back to
insignificance with a single treatment! 

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