Janet
>The TF apiaries I have seen and heard described use a host of methods to out-run their mite loads. They use the full suite of IPM methods, they split often to halve mite loads in colonies, and in return tolerate a high loss rate, poor productivity and low honey harvests. For clarity I call this "treating via management".

There is no reason to assume that if they truly stopped treating via management, their colonies could survive. And indeed, I have seen a few local TF survivor yards die out rapidly...sometimes in a season, sometimes into their second season. Alas their mite loads affect all the bee colonies within a shared flight range, but that ethical question is a separate issue.<

I don't use any tactics like brood breaks, splits, culling drones or queen changes to manage my hives.  I have made some splits here and there but not to all hives.  My oldest hive that has never been split is 4 summers old.  I am at nine hives and did lose one in fall this year but have only lost one hive over the last 3 winters and it was a swarm that just never built up all summer.   This winter may be the one that they all die, I don't predict the future.  We will see how the fourth winter goes come spring.  

I can not speak to whether the bees are thriving or not cause I have no reference of any bees managed different then my own experiences with my own bees.   I am pretty sure that I killed my fall hive by giving too many bees and brood from it to somebody too late in the season and consider it operator error..  

I know I am but a small peg in a big picture and don't have hive numbers or data to prove or disprove anything.   I mostly posted this to put a link to something that you mentioned here even though I am sure most are probably aware of it already.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-47801-5.pdf

I do know that a member of bee source participated in a study where he sent some bees in for the virus load to be looked at and his bees had type one deformed wings if my memory is correct and so know that somebody out there has looked at some bees on this question but would not know where to point to for the study outcome.
Cheers
gww

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html