>Both the 1970s and 2006+ events were blamed on everything anyone could image, although due to the Cold War, in the 70s nuclear radiation was a suspect, in the 2000s, cell phones were blamed. ... It has been human nature for thousands of years to attempt to find reason for these events. about 29 B.C.E. "The nymphs, companions of the unhappy maid, This punishment upon thy crimes have laid; And sent a plague among thy thriving bees." - Virgil, Georgics, book IV 0916 A.D., "Of that year it is related that ‘many evil signs’ were manifested: The heavens seemed to glow with comets: a flame of fire arose from beyond the west of Ireland until it passed over the sea eastwards. A few years later, a terrible mortality occurred, which included ‘men, cattle, and bees’." IMO, this blame, although in error, has served the beekeeper well for centuries, by reassuring confidence in his management techniques. 'Knowing' that the cause is outside of his control, he therefore has no need to change management techniques after every devastating loss, and thus maintained a kind of stability in learned techniques. Best Wishes, J. Waggle http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/HistoricalHoneybeeArticles *********************************************** The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at: http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm