Everyone thinks of the hive as a conglomerate
but this group is made up of individuals
who sometimes indicate what  the problem is.

Have you done a ramp test?
Where are you located?

repeated for your convenience

-----
Me too -- is it really ccd?
If there are still hives left, your choice is a sick,
but not yet weak hive close to a (empty)dead out/collapse.  
Before inspection set up a ramp,
as per hiving a swarm, a bit big.
At end of inspection shake 2-3 frames onto ramp.
Try to minimize nectar spray
Close hive
You are interested in the last 10-20% on the ramp, the laggards
These bees will show symptoms or not or different
If you see all 3 commonest(also unconfirmed), (STR, ankle rub, feet too close)

[spend 10 minutes looking(or more)]

get out the formic pads for all hives
How sure do want to be and for what reason
If you're really sure it was ccd, I recommend a 2nd formic treatment.
(ie 6-8 weeks)

I do wish there was something else, I quite dislike formic
Fortunately the bees don't share my opinion
-----
(physical symptoms still unconfirmed)
Anything to get the mite to as close to zero as you can do
(less vectors ie the pupae)
If there's no surplus then you can treat anything anytime
ie OA(v) weekly or OA(d) 2x/month or tetra 2x/month or?
Watch for what works, then you know more about the cause

I continue to believe that Vitamin C is (temporarily)
effective in treating ccd (LARGE doses 100-500ppm)
(not syrup, weight of bee-patients)
Top bar drench or for those in a bad way
misted onto their backs w/ plant mister 
(.5-1.0gm C in 50ml of 50:50  ALL frames w/ bees)

If they respond well you can be sure that X is viral, 
then 1 gm C  2x/week will keep them better than alive

I wonder if this would work for the non viable eggs?


See my post Nov14/08

It is suspicious than none did well

What about >Very little honey and pollen is present
5# / hive?  more?  Also not typical so low quantity
>had to feed them all copiously just to keep them alive
if they didn't make their own honey I could imagine 
50#/hive (since they will never be overstrong)
but if >There has been very little incoming nectar
then it may be a bad place for bees despite
previous success. How many is "several years"?

I use a bit stronger bleach than Bob,  25%
I think it cuts the contamination time in half
Rather like SO2 and a lot easier

The Moth still avoid the most contaminated areas,
a bit peverse their presence be a cause for approval
It didn't save their lives though

dave

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