To follow up, bee losses from some folks in our local club (dead hives in spring vs total going into winter):
20/24
19/20
35/60
1/5
1/13
500/600
I would agree that varroa is the main culprit, it may not kill directly but weakens them to the point of being susceptable to many other diseases.
A swarm is actually the old queen leaving with a group of bees to start a new hive, a hive may swarm many times and subsequent swarms often have a virgin queen or queens with them. Usually things are going well for a hive to swarm.
The guy I picked some nucs up from in Georgia last Friday just had some hives poisoned before we arrived. Thanks.
Bryan
Poisoned Bees Story
http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=291945
