Zach, Reports that I have heard, so far, of commercial operations in parts of New York include individual beekeepers with 33%, 60%, 50% and 12%. Since last May, 2005, I went from 732 colonies down to around 300 by December, 2005 to 110 colonies in late March 2006. Only two cases of AFB, so far. No varroa mites seen on drone brood broken between supers. Only a few SHBs seen. My colonies winter in SC. As usual, some chalk brood and one mild case of sac brood.
   
  It would be nice if the NYS Dept. of Ag&Mkts would survey all known beekeepers to find out what has been experienced. I understand that at the beginning of last years inspection season it was thought that there were some 60,000 colonies in Ny State. And it turned out to be more like 40,000 colonies. Just over half of which were inspected. It would be interesting to know if there are more, or fewer, or about the same, this year.
   
  Mark

Zach Huang <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
  I would like to know what is the general loss this past winter, compared to
the winter of 2004 (average of 50% nationally). 


		
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