http://www.bushfarms.com/beescerts.htm
michael,
i thought i had already everything on your website twice, (and some things thrice), but i don't remember seeing these certificates before.
we don't get annual inpections and certificates in my state. how does this work for those of you in other states?
looks like buzz (the inspector) makes it to bushfarms in april or may of most years. i'm guessing that he knows by now that you are an expert in the field, and probably wishes everyone practiced as responsibly as you. (but then he might not have a job
)
i was most interested in the varroa mite inspections, because i am very curious to know what kind of infestation rates are being tolerated by colonies in treatment free apiaries.
i guess we would expect mite counts to be lower in april and may anyway, but it is interesting that the method used for 5 of the 9 inpections for mites was 'visual'. would you agree that this is not a reliable way to assess for mites?
looking at open drone brood was done on two inspections, and powdered sugar was done on two inspections as well. these seem like more reliable methods, but might be subject to hit or miss.
my view of this part of the inspection process is that it doesn't appear to have much use. locating a few mites by crude sampling in the springtime shouldn't come as a surprise, and so what if you do find some?
the more useful information would come from doing a proper mite count mid-summer, and correlating that to colony vitality and survival going into fall and winter.
i'll be looking carefully at this in my apiary this year. it will be the fourth year for these bees without mite treatments, and only one loss due to mites. (4 hives in 2010, 10 hives in 2011, and 21 hives in 2012).
i haven't found a treatment free beekeeper who takes mite counts. seems like it would be helpful to be able to identify those colonies who are 'getting it right' and vice versa.
if i understand your approach michael, you like to give each colony every fighting chance to pull through, that sometimes this 'proves' something about those bees.
i'll concede that perhaps it does prove something about those bees, but i would prefer to select and propagate for bees that don't let themselves get into trouble in the first place.
so far, my bees have thrived in equilibruim with mites off treatments, and i would like to propagate them and preserve that trait if i can.
i like the idea of trying to identify colonies in the process of or at risk for collapse, preventing the collapse, and salvaging what's left of the colony, as well as not having to worry about a problem that could spread to other colonies.