> Some researchers are very critical of the science article

Well, this is all very old news. That's why I thought you must be joking. It was quite clear from the results that Nosema ceranae was widespread and not confined to CCD hives, whereas IAPV appeared only in CCD hives. According to the scientific method, this does not indicate a causal relationship, but a correlation. Pettis and all soon were making it clear to anyone who listened that there may not be a specific cause, that some or all of these pathogens may be present, that a specific cause and effect relationship has not been identified as of yet. 

But going back to Bailey, he stated that one would expect to find any and all pathogens in a colony of bees. It is not simply a matter that a colony picks up some bug and gets sick, any more than you or I. They have to reach some tipping point, which will not be the same for each and every colony. Most likely a combination of stresses will push it over the edge, and this may be a different combination for each colony, or they may all respond simultaneously to some serious challenge, like a cross country move, or a prolonged period of bad weather.

PLB

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