"Well, according to the BIP national mgmt survey, 2019, backyard beekeepers, https://research.beeinformed.org/survey/ , 32% of those who were treating lost their hives. 44% of the no-treatment crowd lost theirs."

I know that the statistic is true but it really grinds my gears because it certainly does not tell the whole story.  Simply applying a treatment is very different than having and implementing an effective varroa management plan.  Treating on time and making sure the treatment was effective is critical but it does require having a robust monitoring plan (time and effort). Beekeepers that I deal with who implement an effective mite management plan (put in the time and effort) are not losing 32% of their colonies. They lose <10%.  

Until beekeepers are willing to put in the effort required, losses will continue.  I am not saying beekeepers are not working hard at the moment.  I am only saying that most are worried about the wrong stuff.

Lewis

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