>>Unmanaged colonies in a wild nest are selected by nature for survival but toss man into the picture and now you've added several variables. 

All of this I think can be viewed in simple terms.  I often remove feral colonies in August well stocked with honey when my colonies may be low after I've taken the honey off.  In fact, all that stored  honey makes the feral removal more tedious!

If one takes honey off and doesn't feed during the summer darth, then one has only oneself to blame for the bees' decline and winter losses.  It's not the bees' fault.  They probably had done everything right for their own survival.

On Long Island, increasing patches of Japanese bamboo and purple loosestrife, especially near wet areas, provide some good nectar flows for the bees so there is less colony decline.  In fact, one can often take off surplus honey. :)

Waldemar



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