From: Dennis Murrell <hvgjun@juno.com>
Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2001 15:54:31 -0600
To: BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: Wintering Notes

Hello Everyone,

Fall has arrived. Temperatures are in the 50's to 20's degrees F. The
cleansing noted earlier began with the uncapping of purple eyed pupa. The
hives are now removing older mite infested pupa from the hive and
ejecting any bees with deformities. The drones are still welcome though.

The latest debris below my screened bottom board shows the vast majority
of the mites, even the protonymphs with bite marks. I will post a photo
if anyone is interested.

I have a few comments regarding, do I dare say it, one of my "anecdotal"
observations. It truly would be called false by those who thinking is
confined by the scientific method. Nothing was tested, weighted, counted,
measured, proven or disproved in my observations. There were no double
blind trials and nothing was peer reviewed. They rather told of a
subjective sense or notion that I had experienced while watching my bees.
A interesting narrative so to speak and of less weight than my other
observations.

Much of the information on small cell size and beekeeping in general
would fall into the same category. Observations are put forth as fact
with little or no rigorous testing and cause and effects are proposed
with little more than speculation. Does that reduce their value? Only if
truth is defined by and limited to the scientific method.

In the past, truth was often legitimatized by the king or the clergy.
Today in the US, science rules and has replaced the king and clergy as
the arbiter of truth. Like in the past, today it is often for sale to the
highest bidder.

If anyone seeks the approbation from the scientific community they must
be baptized into that community, learn the language, establish the
doctrines, be mentored by the priests and worship at it shrines before
they will be hailed as worthy. Otherwise credentials will always be
lacking and the jargon will be misunderstood. The snobbery inherent in
such a situation is apparent.

I am not interest in being hailed by science even though a substantial
portion of my life's income was obtained with a job title ending in
"scientist". I think my words, whether big or little, reflect only on
myself and no one else. If you find something interesting or useful in
them, great. If not, then that's ok too. If you are offended or have been
harmed in any way, that was not my intent. I apologize.

My whole beekeeping experience is one of indebtedness, to those whose
shared their time, speculations and yes their hypotheses. I have learned
from them all, even those in error. And I have learned the most from my
own error.

When I approach a beehive, my interaction with the bees is much greater
than can be quantified by hive weight, frames of brood, available feed or
net present value. It goes beyond that which can be easily quantified, as
it is to a great extent intuitive and includes the myriad of things
affecting an intelligent life. That life was designed by my Creator and
provides me with an endless source of wonder, pleasure and joy as I
exercise the privileges in it's husbandry.

One of the greatest advantages of the internet is its ability to rapidly
and conviently transmit information. Unfortunately the greatest
disadvantage of the internet is that it rapidly and conviently transmit
little more than information.

Best Wishes
Dennis Murrell