Hello All,
I am on the road so may not be able to respond to comments often.

Diagnois of beekeeping problems *out of the ordinary* are difficult when 
looking at the deadouts and almost dead hives. A close look into the hives 
left alive might provide valuable information.

Like Joe W. said  the *lack of old bees* seems a clue to the problem. 
However the old bees are the first to *jump ship* when problems happen in a 
hive. They simply drift to other hives. 

The absence of old bees could be from shortened life span which could come 
from a variety of sources. Kieth suggested nosema which can take weeks off 
a bees lifespan. A possiblity  but should  be easily detected by our 
experts. 

An insecticide kill and the bees not making back to the hive would be my 
first guess a decade ago. 

Because Jerry says most the problems come from commercial migratory 
beekeepers I suspect those beekeepers are not being truthful about every 
treatment which has been applied. Without *all* the facts the diagnosis is 
hard. The current $10,000 fine for illegal treatments could cause many to 
remain silent on every treatment which has been used. One of my close 
friends was fined around six years ago. The only time the fine has been 
used to my understanding.

Kathy suggested fructose. The only time I have heard of fructose kills has 
been in a couple isolated cases of beekeepers shipped the wrong mix and a 
couple times with beekeepers using plant scrap. Fructose would be low on my 
list of causes.

Many of my friends from over the pond are wondering if a *new* beekeeping 
problem is happening. I do not believe so.

My opinion is beekeeping is simply weeding out the *business as usual* 
beekeepers. Those beekeepers which are not rotating out comtaminated comb. 

Those testing and keeping varroa loads low are not seeing virus problems.

Those which are running the same comb they have been using chemicals on for 
the last fifteen years. Never monitor varroa load and treat in late October 
( instead of August in Midwest) seem to be having the most problems. Those 
trying to reuse brood comb with a high amount of virus contamination seem 
to be having problems.

Jeff Pettis tells of seeing everything the experts have observed this go 
around as far back as 2002 in his presentations. Abscounding Jeff says in 
common in hives with contaminated comb. Abscounding has always been rare in 
EU bees so why becoming more common?

From my sources I hear (although the USDA is now hearing of the problem) 
some of these beekeepers are in their third or fourth year of trying to 
keep bees alive on the same brood comb. A Georgia beekeeper said his 
problems like above went away when comb was changed.

A trip to Florida to see the largest pile of contaminated comb in the U.S. 
will show the amount of comb recycled by a former large beekeeper when he 
saw many of the problems being discussed.


I had hoped my friend Jerry B. could have came up with a concrete answer to 
what has happened but understand not a single problem may be the source but 
a combination of problems.

Beekeeping continues to get complicated. Seems a long time ago when all I 
had to worry about was foulbrood and the weather. 

Happy Holidays!

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
 

-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and  other info ---