Regarding Nick"s response March 29,1996.
   Yes I did make a mistake and  I admit it. I got the years mixed up  ,I
was looking at figures
from 92-93 and got ahead of myself . Per the N Z Bee home page mentioned
earlier
     1992-93  23kg. or about 50 lb. with ranges from 1988-89 17kg/hive (
37.5lbs) to
       1991 to 92 31 kg. /hive (68lbs) So  O K , and  averaging is best say
the last 10 or 15
years.  When did the N Z government get out of the inspecting and the
supervising of the N Z
bee industry ?  Also please explain if I am correct in my understanding that
the inspection of N Z
honeybees is either done by volunteer bee keepers that Wannabee bee
inspectors or by
employees hired by the N Z beekeeping association. Lastly could you give the
exact numbers of
test and which test were conducted in 1995. Specifically mite free testing
and certification.
            Mr. Wallingford speaks of his relative freedom from the pests
and diseases of honey
bees
and I would like information presented to the group of exactly which
pests/diseases of honey
bees are known to be found with N Z honeybees.
            About Dr. D Anderson  he works for CISRO  what is CISRO and
where do the funds
come from for CISRO ? Was D Anderson the first one to find Kashmir in N Z
bees ? Has  any
thought been given to the problems that occur when honeybees have mites and
viruses at the
same time ? Probably not since your bees are reported to be mite free so you
might not care
about the problems when bees have both mites and viruses. On the net several
people have
suggested that bee viruses be treated like Aids in people well I happen to
believe that if we
accept bee viruses as being like aids that we would all very quickly agree
that until we find a
cure that we should isolate the bees known to be infested with all the
viruses known to the bee
world away from the rest of the bee populations until the men of science can
find the answers to
the P M S  headache problems with honeybees of the United States and Canada
. If the
Canadians are not afraid of the effects of the continued introduction and
spread of  pest/disease
of honeybees then the border between Canada and the U S should be closed to
stop the spread
of pests/disease from Canada to U S bees .
           All of this points to the need for multi national research teams
to assembled under the
supervision of peer review groups with members from all areas of beekeeping
keeping this much
needed work on an objective mission. Honey bees are in trouble and man's
food production is
too dependent on honeybee as pollinators for the U S to sit quietly for help
to come from
Washington. Washington does not know that U S  beekeepers have any problems
because we
do not have a true bee lover and patriot working for us in Beltsville.
         U S  D A  I know you are reading . Could some one share the
pleadings for more
research money to save honeybees  that must have been generated at budget
time ? Well thats it
for this post which has gotten to long.
             Thinking only of honeybees        PATTON    IN  PARADISE
                                   HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON  SPRING HAS SPRUNG
 
 
Walter & Elisabeth Patton,  27-703 A Ka' ie'ie Rd., Papaikou HI.,96781
    Ph./Fax. 808-964-5401       E-Mail  hihoney@ilhawaii
 
Beekeeper and Bed  & Breakfast Owner in Hawaii
 
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