a Beekeepers snip followed by > my comment..

Splits from the survivors?

>Bingo... we have a winning answer....

>Looking at things as an economist the elasticity of the intermediate (time) supply curve for hives is almost totally elastic (meaning it has almost a straight line).  This is also why 'the math' of hives held by individuals or as a group (beekeepers) is NOT simple math.

>The important question here is wether you do or do not begin with resistant stock.  I do my own little 'off the books experiment' here with queens purchased in some quantity (typically 25 or 50) just to see how they do in a non treatment environment... Non resistant stock (typically purchased from either California or Hawaii) has a life expectancy of about 9 months. At this point the 'simple math' means you are out of bees in year 1.  

>In my own program/plan (but starting with resistant stock) I decided to 'replace 1/3 of my stock each year figuring that 2 years was the 'expected life' of an individual hive.  As things worked out under this program/plan 3 packages became 9 hives, which grew to 17 hive, then to 40, then to 80, then to 140 and finally to 200 (with each step representing one year). After year 3 I did sell a few queens and nuclei which at least theoretically slowed down the growth rate.  

>I guess if there is any GREATER message to be gained here they are 1) beginning with resistant stock is something worth considering although it does force you to leave 'the cheapest' path and 2) all those doing treatment need not worry about us Darwinian beekeepers.

>as to #2 when your treatment does finally play out we will gladly sell you some resistant stock.

Gene in Central Texas...

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