Dee,
 
Picking figures from a table in the back of Bailey's lecture. From all  
localities in the county of Hertfordshire (UK) over a 5 year period there were  an 
average of 5.1 colonies per site and 6.1% of them were infested with  A.woodi. 
 During the same period the 18 apiaries operated by the  Rothamstead 
Horticultural Research Station having an average of 14 colonies per  site had 29% of 
them infested.
 
In the county of Oxfordshire a few years later the overall density was 4.8  
hives per site and 5.4% were infested whereas in 1 commercial apiaries 
averaging  29 hives per site there was 40% infestation.
 
This was some years ago and I have no idea what size foundation was being  
used then.
 
He doesn't mention propolis and I doubt if its antibiotic and anti viral  
properties were recognised then and people were trying to select for bees that  
gathered less propolis.  I think some still are, despite its value as a bye  
product of the hive.
 
Chris
 
ChrisIn a message dated 20/04/2007 11:16:59 GMT Standard Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

Chris:
Some how I am not seeing this as written about in the  bees
I keep that are smaller. But then they have more access to
varied  propolis/resins from more varied floral sources,also
that is critical to  broodnest sterilization and injested by
the bees themsleves. So am I wrong  in assuming that the
bees looked at by Bailey were on enlarged combs FWIW  being
maintained? What were the parameters of the bees looked at
for  living/maintenance? Ferals, or domesticated and then
what type?

Dee  A. Lusby







   

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