Gavin writes:

1)Could they have brought in a pathogen? ...Not this
one,too experienced.  Did they handle combs?...Only in
selected hives for viewing and then by endbars,but mostly
me doing.  Were they just in the yards affected?... No.

2) Are there migratory beekeepers with yards anywhere near
those that collapsed?...yes.

3) What about pesticides?....I don't treat.  Could the bees
in those yards have reached places where folk might be
using pesticides such as crop growing or even golf courses
or suburban trees or gardens?...no crops, no golf courses,
no suburban trees or gardens...instead, wildlife refuge &
inside inner circle of restricted mountain range. 

  Did anyone test the survivors for
 disease?...Yes. Dr Bromenshenk is to be commended for
that, for an official sampling. His call as to findings.

Sincerely hope that your other yards remain free...So far
not seen with exception two.Oddly, late spring due to
training conference with cattle, I moved hives from one
yard in center of problem to set into those two yards, so
roping,branding, wagon driving,road grading, etc could be
taught. Then reset up yard after conference with new
splits/fresh caught bees like I have always done in
starting new hives.But did this in other yards, in other
countys where no problem seen.

Last check end Feb of survivors going into winter with me
bedding down, still there. Next check coming next week with
help from 2 visitors from Mass flying in.

What reason? Not my call,... but I don't treat,
artificially feed, move hives out of gen local area S.
Ariz, except when have to(conference), self contained for
making bee numbers (don't buy). Also self-contained making
own beeswax foundation. Because of this, it is Dr
Bromenshenk's call...for solving ? what happened. He sent
in samplers for analyzing...so can someone fund him to keep
him helping others? I am proud of him for helping me try to
figure out cause.

Dee-




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