>  Any thought on how wide spread CCD is in California?

Simple question, difficult to answer.

First, it's hard to diagnose CCD positively, especially at different
times of the year.

There are lots of losses.  I just heard of large numbers of semiloads
going back full of deadouts.  But there are often large losses, ever
since fluvalinate stopped working well, and any time we have dry
summers prior.  Some losses don't require a PhD to figure out.

However, there are also some unexpected/unexplained losses.

You also gotta realize that some operators will never admit that they
have a problem.
Some have a preventable problem, but would rather blame it on  CCD.

Losing 1000 colonies at $150 each hurts.  Some have lost several times
that many.  It hurts me to hear about it.  It hurts to imagine
truckloads of boxes going back at a loss.  It hurts to imagine any
beeekeeper working all year, only to have his dreams of profit
disappear into thin air.  Almond pollination these days is not for the
casual operator--keeping colonies healthy is serious business.

Yes, some of the same guys, some new.

Also lots of very good bees in Calif.

It's raining until tomorrow.  The bloom will begin in earnest this week.

At that point, the rubber hits the road, and rumors and promises hit
reality.  You will then be able to read about it in the paper.

My sincerest condolences to those hurting.

Randy Oliver
Reality, California

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