>I've been thru devastating colony losses many times... Its part of the humans
>response to rebuilding ones self confidence in their abilities as a beekeeper to say
>'if I cant do it, nobody can'.

Humans also have a demonstrated inability to understand the role of chance in their
personal experience, the probabilities surrounding their circumstances, and are
particularly susceptible to the regression fallacy.

>But in these parts....
>These past two years have been care free, -bees are again thriving in my area,
>I am nearly convinced that Let-Alone Beekeeping is back in some localities of
>America...  My local pest control company says this is the best year for swarm
>calls in many years.

I submit that your experience may be as much luck as anything else.  There are
cycles in all things, but insect populations do tend to boom, then bust.  

Of course we all hope your hopes are well-founded, and also that on the chance
that bees in your region are recovering, that they are economically useful and
good-tempered.  This has not always been the case where bees have adjusted to
pests and parasites.

Regardless of whether feral bees are able to thrive, at least in the short term,
in your area, increasing population pressure and urbanization along with the
accompanying legislation and regulation require that beekeepers do manage
their bees.  At what point in the management spectrum from total neglect to
over-manipulation do we place "Let-Alone Beekeeping"? It seems to mean
different things to different people.

Whatever the definition, the reality is that serious beekeepers -- who intend not
to go, as you say, "thru devastating colony losses many times", or run into
problems with the law or damage suits -- regular hive inspections, monitoring for
pests and parasites and taking appropriate and responsible measures  when
problems are discovered, is prudent. 

Not everyone is prudent, however, and many will continue to tempt fate and
some of them will proudly claim exemption from the forces of nature -- at least 
as long as their luck holds out.  

In the meantime, they will lead others to lower their guard.

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