>- The reason Russian and pockets of wild bees are thriving is because they haven�t been messed with as much as domestic US bees, and still aren�t messed with by beekeepers who don�t treat or requeen their hives. 

Interesting.  For me, though the above seems somewhat self-contradictory and needs clarification.  Could be an uninterntional double negative.

>-  So a lot of breeding hives are used for a lot of cells, each with little swarms.  I do this in every yard, and yards or about 12 � 20 hives are about 1 - 2 miles apart.  I don�t have to graft, or let nucs sit queenless a day. 

>- Of course the idealism meets the reality, and I�m getting my second graft in right now cause I need queens for nucs and we are 3 weeks behind in florida.  

Apparently the theory has not been working this year.  A northern operation has gone south, and even the southern weather is not accommodating enough for the plan to work in practice for long.   Natural cells have given over to grafting.  

I'm not surprised, having proven to my own satisfaction and disappointment -- several times -- that theory is just theory when the rubber hits the road.  Chance plays a big part in success and if something works for a while, or for someone else, it could just be luck.  Most of us who want to make some money need to count on more than luck.

I've played around with treatment-free and natural replacement and concluded that the results are not profitable for long in my world.  That is not to say that they cannot be, but that, sometimes, compromises must be made in order to continue.

Thanks for the update, Sam. 

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