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[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

> Is anyone in the group a beekeeper?  
> 

I've been keeping bees for about 20 years.    Back then keeping bees was a 
piece of cake.  It has become more and more difficult to succeed all along.  

All my hives are Top Bar hives now and I DON'T recommend that for beginning 
beekeepers.  I and many beekeepers I talk to have noticed a general decline 
in 
the vigor of hives for some years now.

I've read everything I could find on the Colony Collapse phenomenon and none 
of the proffered explanations really holds water.  The thing is, bees are 
very, very sensitive to stress and toxins.  People used to raise concerns 
about 
treating a hive with this or that, or preserving the wood of a hive with 
copper, 
or using glyophosate around hives ..... but one thing is for certain, if it 
doesn't kill the bees it isn't going to do you any harm.  

Starting up in bees has always been iffy.  But now of days only do it if you 
can afford to write off the time and expense completely if they should fail.  
 
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