>I wonder if they are reporting spore count -- live and dead -- or just
viable spores

Just viable spores (from the honey) that started colonies on Petri dishes.

> (I don't know how a half-infected larva would turn out).

Virtually every organism alive is "half-infected" by bacteria and viruses,
including bee larvae.  Their immune system either eliminates the infection,
or keeps it in check (once infected, this response lasts for the rest of the
bee's life).  So "half-infected" larvae would appear normal.

Great page on your comb experiments, Allen.  Thanks!  I am very much aware
that the huge amount of comb that I am forced to draw severely limits my
honey crop.  It is obvious when I compare the difference in colony
production when I actually have drawn comb to super with.

In my own operation, we are considering shifting from nuc sales and bulk
honey sold wholesale to local honey production bottled and sold retail.  I'm
tired of the driving, and the market is good for anything "local."  In order
to produce serious honey, we will need to build a stockpile of drawn combs.
>
>
>
> >One thing that confounds the issue is that some years are so good that a
> beekeeper can do everything wrong and still get a crop and winter well. This
> sets the beekeeper up for future years of losses and puzzlement.


I always tell those wishing to begin a bee business that the worst thing
that can happen is to have a great year the first year--it sets an
unreasonable "standard" in one's mind.

This year was one of those exceptionally good years in my location.  And for
a change, we actually managed to not drop behind until the very end.  Hence,
my sons' venture into retail marketing of a large local crop.  We are not
about to extrapolate for planning purposes that we will see a year like this
again!

Randy Oliver

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