With the advent of CCD our bee schools are filling up.  Everyone is interested
in bees.  Many of these new folks are convinced that pesticides are the only
thing that kills bees.

I don't want them to not worry about pesticides, but I would like for them to
have some perspective.

Would anyone like to take a stab at what kills the most bees?

Here is my list from
http://www.ask-force.org/web/Bees/vanEngelsdorp-National-Survey-US-2012.pdf
<http://www.ask-force.org/web/Bees/vanEngelsdorp-National-Survey-US-2012.pdf>
  It is important to note that the cause of the loss is reported by the
beekeeper.  Personally, I have little faith in most backyard beekeepers ability
to diagnose problems.  Here is the list from highest to lowest.

1.  Starvation.  We should call this beekeeper error IMHO.
2.  Weak in the fall.  We should call this varroa and file under beekeeper error
IMHO.
3.  Poor Winter.  I do not know what this means.  Winter is winter.  Another
case of beekeeper error.
4.  Queen.  Queens fail.  It happens.
5.  Varroa.  I file this under beekeeper error.  We have methods for monitoring
and treating.  Use them.
6.  Nosema.  Nosema happens.  I need to learn more about nosema and it's
implications.
7.  CCD.
8.  Pesticides.
9.  Small hive beetle.

Discuss.

Lewis

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