I keep only ~ 200 hives, and specialize with comb honey.  I am clearly not
among those that know everything there is to know about how to making a
living with honey bees, but I do try to keep up to date and because many
commercial beekeepers use Ross Rounds I think I am reasonably well informed.

Marty Braunstein comments concerning the 'cowboys' of commercial beekeeping
and their 'good practices be damned' attitudes closely align with my
information.  But that is by now 'old' information.  What may not be 'old',
is that these irresponsible practices continue.

My personal knowledge is pretty much limited to commercial beekeepers on the
East Coast.  But these guys ship bees to almonds and pollinate from the
Carolinas to Maine and all spaces inbetween and have from 500 to
10,000-12,000 hives.  Fluvalinate remains the miticide of choice, but at
dosage rates that are staggering.  One guy recently told me that he  gave
the bees their first dose in January and would give them another this
month.  Beginning in April or May, depending on mite loads, they would
consider going to 2X month.  These dosages are for buildup and pollination.
They 'try not' to spray while supers are on, but 'usually' have to spray at
least twice.

Yes, the dosage is with pressure tanks towed by tractors (in Florida) or
backpacks.  Hive tops removed, bees on top bars sprayed, brood nest tipped
up and bees on bottom bars and top bars of lower also sprayed.

Finally, he said 'thank God for Africanized bees', now we get good control
with the spray while a few years ago we were still getting 70% losses!

I'm glad we have large beekeepers such as Bob, Bell, Mendes and a few
others...but it is still largely a 'wild world' out there.

Lloyd

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