From: Joe Waggle <joe9360@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 20:17:00 -0700 (PDT)
To: BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: Mid-season mite 'treatment'

--- Lee Gollihugh <nmbeekeeper@swnm.com> wrote:
> Joe - PA wrote
> "...I'll go with small cell size. That's how Dee
> was able to convince me
> that small cell size is the answer. because that's
> how mother nature does
> it, and nature will always do things right.
>
> Reply:
>
> GARBAGE!!!
>
> How do you know?

Joe wrote:
Hello Lee,

I do not believe Dee just because Dee says so. I
was convinced years before I even heard of Dee or this
Bio Bee stuff that the Mite problem will be solved
only when the bees and nature are ready to. Her
theories seem to fit in to what I've been thinking.
The proof, is in nature. All you need to do is open
your eyes. Yes, if someone comes to me with an theory
on beekeeping, and I can see the same applied in the
wild. I'll try it every time. So far all the experts
advising me to dump chemicals into my hives (man's
solution to the problem) has failed me miserably. You
ask, How do I know nature always does things right?
Please read some examples.

Around 1900, thoroughfares across the United States
were graced by American elms. All that changed in
1930, when a French freighter off-loaded elm logs
destined for several Ohio furniture factories. Hidden
within these logs were elm bark beetles that carried
the fungus that causes Dutch elm disease. By 1970,
some 77 million American elms were dead, and
tree-lined streets were as barren as a battlefield.
(Does this sound familiar Lee?) After years of useless
spraying the elm was virtually wiped out until
researchers discovered two disease-tolerant American
elms called "New Harmony" and "Valley Forge" that may
bring the elm back into use as an urban tree. All the
interference by man couldn't stop it. In the end,
nature found a way.

Around 1904 a blight, Commonly known as the Chestnut
blight, devastated the American chestnut. Man couldn't
stop it, nature did, the chestnut is coming back from
the brink of extinction.

15 years ago the gypsy moth destroyed all the trees on
my property. The state sprayed tons of pesticides on
top of me to no avail. It took 10 years but the but
nature took over and the trees are growing back.

> Dee laid that on me about 3-4 years ago. I did not
> believe her.
> But, she did say, that was the way the bees wanted
> it and feral colonies
> had small cells.
> Will, I looked. And you should also.
> It took me two years to come to the conclusion bees
> wanted smaller cells.
> not because Dee said so but because I respected her
> enough to look at what
> she said. And you will also. But first you must
> look. I'm not saying - don't believe. I am saying,
do
> shake downs and look.

Joe said:

Lee, I just did 2 shake downs today. These are
my test hives that I will pay very close attention and
see for myself if 4.9 really works. But don't worry
Lee, I still have a fair amount of skepticism and will
leave my other hives on 5.3 . I've been trying for 8
years to to find ways to keep my bees from dying. And
I will keep on trying. I'm tired of loosing 80% of my
hives every few years. Even if I jump at another
persons say so, and suffer 80% loss. What's the
difference? Lesson learned, You'll never know unless
you try it right?

> So Why "garbage"? You are taking another persons
> experiences without
> change based on another persons say so- you appear
to accept it
> and are willing to
> change based on another persons say so.

Lee, I've read many beekeeping books and have learned
much from them. But I have learned the MOST from
listening to other beekeepers more experienced than I.
Yes I have learned some things only to discard them
later but I have also learned valuable information
that can only be obtained from listening to another
persons say so.

Lee, please keep in touch.

Hello Dee? If your reading this.

I flipped my Russian queens over today to see for
myself. They are orange underneath like you said, that
means "according to you of course" that Russians are
Caucasian and not Carniolan. You are right about the
orange. But I'm not taking your word for it. I'm still
researching to see if orange underneath really means
they are Caucasian. Lee would be proud to see that I
am not accepting another persons say so, and am seeing
for myself.

Regards,
Joe