# General beekeeping > Bee blether >  Beekeepers need more education according to this study.

## Greengage

A pan-European epidemiological study reveals honey bee colony survival depends on beekeeper education and disease control. More efforts are needed in beekeeper training to promote good beekeeping practices and achieve early identification of clinical signs of disease.
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/art...l.pone.0172591

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## Paul_

Not much the argue with really. Although I have seen people on other forums (this one is the most charming btw) blaming the wrong types of bees on this problem. If I'm honest with myself most of loses outside of hives not raising replacement queens during swarm season could have been prevented with some more diglence on my part.

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## Thymallus

"apiaries from hobbyist beekeepers that had symptoms of bacterial infection and heavy Varroa infestation".

Education is fine but not enough emphasis (IMHO) is put on varroa and varroa treatments.  Varroa is the single-most  biggest killer/waekenr of hives of bees today. 
Yet most ignore it, only treat "if required"...didn't need treating....are trying Darwinian selection ...using the latest organic snake oil etc etc... Poor bees have no chance and most of these fools shouldn't be let lose with ten miles of a hive.

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## Paul_

I agree, when I started the training was to treat twice a year based on the calendar. Since I started doing mite washes and acting on the counts I'm confident I've got a handle on varroa.

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