Talking with some of the beekeepers in my area that use
treatments.  -I am hearing from a few,  -that they did not 
treat their colonies at all this season and do not plan to, -due 
to the relative low mite pressure which appears to be prevalent 
in this area and in their colonies, -and also due to the productivity 
and strength their colonies are exhibiting this season --- Ill say it 
first,,,  'non virulent mites' may be the reason.  if so, we are happy 
to have these 'nice mites' here.

I was happy to see that neighboring beekeepers are using
treatments responsibly, and not just applying treatments 
routinely.  

I do have some of an issue with the insinuation that 
treatment-free causes bee losses, OR is a cause of bee 
losses.

-If I may clarify, I tend to have issues with most bee losses 
which are blamed on 'single causes'.  Colony crashes are
IMO very much like a plane crash,  it will nearly always be 
discovered that a combination of factors contributed to the
colonies demise.  Just because a treatment-free beekeeper
sustains a colony loss, does not a 'cause make'.  This
is a fundamental principal of beekeeping which I teach
the new-bees, -you need to evaluate the colony, to
determine what the 'causes' were. 

As I discovered in my area.  In the years prior to a population
developing a sustainable relationship with mites.  You will
begin to see causes which compound into bee losses sway
away from mite related symptoms, and toward symptoms 
typical of bee loses in the old days.  During this period, 
although mites and related maladies may have contributed
to the loss, -they are no longer can be determined to be 
a main factor in the loss.   Losses may still be heavy,
but this is a key shift in the recovery process, indicating 
the population is still under mite pressure, but has
nearly achieved a sustainable relationship with mites
and associated maladies. 

And soon, -as the stage we are in at my area,  -mites are 
relegated to a minor status in relation to the main factors 
which contribute to colony losses.   

Best Wishes
J. Waggle
SW PA
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