"Are they just hopeless cases, trying to correct the problem by
superceding?"

I don't think so, Michael. I got the bulk of my 100 or so hives 2 years
ago this October, and as I think you know I'd been working scuts in Africa
before that. We didn't have anything close to internet access, so when we
came back to the states, we pretty much had to start from scratch when it
came to modern bee problems. Especially as the hives I bought (cheap and
with a harvest) had up to 14 mites per drone larva, and AFB everywhere.

I started by nuking the mites, and that of course helped with the AFB and
several other things, and the treated grease patties got the AFB under
control. I find what one of the old timers had to say is happening, that
I'll have to fight it for two or three years, and then it will be just
standard preventitive treatments. But on the occasions I see AFB rearing
it's head there have been lots of queenlessness.

I must say that now I'm wondering if it was the Checkmite, but as I see it
I had no choice, and on the whole my bees are more and more healthy and
productive all the time.

Regards

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