Hello Rob & All,
Excellent post Rob with many points I agree  with!

Despite what many would like to believe most of the causes for CCD are
contained in what has been found so far. I would keep the advance virus work
going and the pesticide/ chemical comb work but we need to move on.

I watched the CNN Ag committee hearings yesterday
(3/29/2007).

I personally would have used a different approach to the CCD problem .
Simply SSDD is not an answer. Education is the answer!

I would have suggested setting up a package of testing equipment. Electron
microscope etc.so each commercial beekeeper could do his own testing. I
would provide the same for every bee club and train at least one member of
each club to run the tests. The cost would be small compared to what has
been proposed.

 I would set up training in all states starting with the states hardest hit
with CCD. In order to get the $1500-2000 worth of free testing equipment
commercial beekeeping operations & clubs would need to send at *least* one
person to attend the classes. At the classes all the information about what
has been found *so far* on CCD will be shared.

Methods to control European foulbrood, fungus, nosema, varroa, tracheal
mites  etc. will be taught. Tell stress in hives!

When to replace comb and what is known about virus will be shared.

In short we have found plenty of things in those CCD deadouts! No smoking
gun so lets start helping beekeepers by teaching beekeepers to eliminate
each problem one by one and I believe through educating beekeepers many will
get a hand on the CCD problem.

Giving the largest beekeepers money to do the SSDD is generous ( and I think
a good idea at least once) but does not address the real issue. Building new
research facilities is a neat idea also. I question what they can be used
for after all the commercial beekeepers have went bankrupt ?

When was the last time you went back and looked at the documentation
concerning the spread of tracheal mites, varroa mites, SHb or any other
pest. All that documentation is in some file in a drawer gathering dust.

Life is about going forward! Not looking back!

Also hives coming out of California look great! Beekeepers in Texas have had
to ask for extra equipment to make splits! Many beekeepers are not seeing
anything even close to CCD.

In a phone conversation with Jerry Hayes a few weeks ago Jerry shared:
" the largest beekeeper in Florida seems unaffected but he is on top of
varroa and other bee diseases".

What part of being on top of the known problems do we not understand?

Commercial beeping is not getting easier. Its getting harder. If you run
over a 100 hives of bees and have not bought a microscope yet and learned to
test your hives for the many things the CCD team has found in those deadouts
or if you simply treat your hives for varroa when ever you get around to it
without any idea of varroa load then your days in beekeeping could be
numbered.

I see educating beekeepers as step one in solving the current die off. If
funding could be arranged I would have the above plan in place by August.
Four months should be plenty of time.

I would volunteer my time to train Missouri beekeepers.I bet Tim Tucker
would train Kansas beekeepers? Maybe Randy Oliver would do California? Maybe
David Hackenburg Pennsylvania?
 Lets get a real plan going to save beekeeping.

Bob

"I take care of the bees and the bees take care of me!" from the movie about
Ulee Jackson with Peter Fonda.

.


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