Hi all,
 
I am a hobby beekeeper that has had a setback that started summer of  2003. I 
had returned from a short vacation (I think it was about 10 days) to  find 12 
of my 13 hives totally abandoned. I chalked my loss up to carpenter ant  
invasions and moved the one remaining hive to another  "safer"  location.  Earlier 
that Spring, for the first time ever,I had fed a pollen  substitute.  The 
hive that survived was a strong "hot" hive that I now  think I skipped feeding. 
The next year I purchased 8 established hives and  supered them with equipment 
from the abandoned hives. Since that time I have had  really slow build up 
each year and queen loss, many didn't return from their  maiden flights)  that I 
could not keep count of.  I made splits and  then had to rejoin them. I 
usually produce my own queens and I've noticed them  to be somewhat smaller these 
last two years.  Build up has been  exasperatingly dismal. My inspector wouldn't 
do a roll test because it would  decimate the populations.
 
Ok, I've read most of the posts on CCD and I think somehow I was one of the  
early ones to have it.  The only thing I can point to is the pollen  
substitute. Which I've unfortunately used again this year prior to reading  that some 
think that could be an incipient cause of the decline.
 
There isn't much I can add to the above but if anyone wants to talk to me  
about it my Tel is 352-324-2105
 
 
George Williams
Florida
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