Hi all
I don't think I have posted about this before, if so, sorry. 

When Dr Seeley first began proposing his Darwinian beekeeping, I contacted him and presented an idea for a project. I would take my 12 hives and keep them in their winter configuration. When swarming time, no supers would be added. The hives would have every frame examined once a week and accurate records would be kept as to the condition of the queen, brood, mites, etc. After a season or two, we would begin to see the dynamics that promote survival (if any survived). He liked the idea but when I said I would have to be compensated for the lost of a ton of honey, of course, the conversation went dead. He never suggested how I might get a grant, or whatnot. It seems like folks have turned it into a moral issue: making a ton of honey through correct management is somehow exploitative. I am sorry, but after 50 years of making the bees pay their own way, I can't seem to change. For pets, I would rather have a dog or cat. At least they recognize me and seem happy to see me. 

Pete Bee

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