> Far less than the internet makes one think… > yes there are people with a few hives and low mite pressure or in a good > spot, but they are the exception, not the rule > Move Kefuss’ stock and it often fails > Kirk Webster was wiped out for the 2nd time in a row this winter > Sol endlessly splits and chases swarms and can’t seem to get his numbers > up despite claiming very low losses, last word was he had 12 hives. > Michael Bush went in to winter with to 14 full sized hives (and 30 smalll > hive/nucs - many of witch were combines of his mating nucs, that he started > with bought packages ) > I truly wish I could practice treatment free beekeeping as does anyone on this list. My problem is that when I look into the operations of treatment free beekeepers I find the truth that Seth wrote above. Mostly it is location, location, location. The subset is splits, nuc sales and package sales but the bees sold are not treatment free and die if not treated when brought into the real world of Varroa pressure. My poster child in this is a beekeeper I know who does not treat, promotes that as the way to go, sells treatment free bees, and continually loses their hives. Plus wrote a book on how to do it. Meanwhile I treat and lost no hives this winter. The pied piper has more listeners than I do. As I said, I would love to be treatment free. Unfortunately so do many beekeepers who believe the talk without doing any research into the reality that Seth noted. There is always a person behind the curtain. Bill Truesdell Bath, Maine *********************************************** 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