> As you know, the miticides have not been tested for toxicity to bees at
> the
> levels now being seen in wax and comb.  And, high levels may not equal
> hazard.

Why not?  Seems like the first move.

When researchers started crying "Wolf" I bought in and much to the ridicule
of some commercial beeks embarked on a 4 year plan to change all comb which
had  ever had fluvalinate or coumaphos used..

Which why I feel very qualified to speak on the subject. I spent the money &
labor to follow those researchers advice. My closest friend and another
commercial beekeeper chose not to change any of those combs.

His hives look as good as mine.

However despite what some say that all commercial beekeepers use illegal
bathtub mitacides (which is pure BS!) both of us had only used apistan or
checkmite strips per label.

Now you and the CCD team can peer through all the microscopes you want and
place all the comb you want under a mass spec but the real proof is in
looking at the yards  of hives.



 But, based on WHAT and HOW MUCH is in wax and comb, the major
> pesticides are miticides and fungicides, with neonics in only a small
> percentage
> - 10% from the data, maybe 20% if the CA beekeepers are right (and  that
> for
> all pesticide kills, not just CCD).

Maybe if the person in charge of spending the recent funding had given the
right people funding instead of only his cronies then perhaps we would
learn WHAT and HOW Much. Many of us see a huge amount of waste going on.
Taxpayers are not getting their monies worth and CERTAINLY commercial
beekeepers are not!

> The delayed effect that you see is more likely a pathogen - and I hope  to
> have proof by next spring.

I have always admired you Jerry!

 I am sorry the ------ in charge of funding are letting your samples sit in
a freezer. Hopefully you will find the problem. The only real issue I see
now is pesticide kills.

Bees look great. Big honey crop on.

Looking forward to a third hernia surgery this fall!

It is a long distance between the suits in Washington and the hard working
beekeepers in America in sweat soaked bees suits with salt sweat burning
their eyes( too say nothing of the stings).

quote from Andy Card (commercial beekeeper for the book Following the Bloom)

"We're the last real cowboys,the last people moving livestock across the
United States"

bob

For the deep thinkers on BEE-L

 quote  by Dave Barry:
"I can win an argument on any topic. People know this and steer clear of me
at parties. Often ,as a sign of their great respect , they don't even invite
me.

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