For the bee industry to be sustainable (and I mean the whole industry, not just particular individuals) there has to be an emphasis on raising healthy bees, either to sell or to use to replace one's own dead-outs. I think we have to start thinking about nursery yards whose sole purpose is to raise new healthy colonies. No doubt, isolation would be helpful: to avoid pesticides, new pests, and general reinfestation -- not to mention stock improvement. pb Aloha Peter, and all: I agree with this idea and am wondering if anyone has suggestions as to how to begin. We are on an isolated island with our apiary being the only commercial honey/beekeeping operation. I've been thinking this same thing. We may have an opportune location to raise a healthy stock to begin with that could at least start out varroa free. We've raised a few of our own queens just for our own replacement, but currently our whole stock is from feral hives. They produce, but they're pretty hot by US mainland standards. I'm thinking getting a few good breeder queens would be a great start........ Molokai Meli Molokai, Hawaii **************************************************** * General Information About BEE-L is available at: * * http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/default.htm * ****************************************************