I love the Internet but it tends to amplify, as does the 24 hour news cycle.

So far my informal poll has not pointed out a serious problem. I will 
have the results out next week.

Which prompted me to look closely at what we think we know about losses 
and you glean the following.

News reports about CCD from those supposedly close to the problem seem 
to be coming to a maximum of 25% killed and even that is a guess.

Currently we lose about 20% each year. 25% is not that unusual, 
especially compared to the early days of Tracheal Mites when 80% was 
thrown around. (Where do they get those numbers?)  Interesting that 
before mites winter losses were still in the 10-25% area.

I know that some of the reported CCD cases were caused by mites, so the 
numbers are suspect and probably why no one wants to commit. You are 
trusting the word of a person who possibly will be reimbursed if it is 
CCD but not if it is mites. ( I am not saying all, just some.)

Bob has pointed out that some commercial operations intentionally reduce 
to 50% for winter and some to 100% , as did many Canadian beekeepers 
before the border was closed. (I know the problem with CCD is the when.)

Breeders do not seem to be having a problem supplying bees. At least 
they are not acknowledging problems.

Almonds were pollinated and blueberries will be even with CCD and mites.

So all this excessive noise about the death of the 
commercial/factory/towel thrower/destroyer of the universe/takes candy 
from babies/ beekeeping seems more to be agenda driven than factual. 
There is a problem, what it is no one knows, but it or something very 
similar has happened before and commercial beekeeping is still 
sustainably pollinating and so are the bees.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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