It's no secret, the Warre groupie crowd does not like me. So let me throw this out there, so others can see the kind of promotion and koolaid some are passing around. I point out my own observations and experiences on my website, which garners me some very interesting hate mail.
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/wsx2q/after_midnight_when_everyone_is_already_drunk_we/c5g8v4dThis is full of half truths, and outright distortion of facts. Like.....
The decline of honey bee since 1947 has nothing to do with the top two points this guys claims. (Removable frames and opening the top)
After WWII, there was a drop off of number of beekeepers. This was due to changing agriculture and the dynamics of the family farm, with a huge surge towards cities and jobs. I will not even try to guess about the down fall of beekeeping due to removable tops, except to say that this is a key point in the narrow minded approach of the Warre hive crowd.
Up till the mid 1980's, beekeeping was healthy and productive. Losing 10% of your hives were considered a bad year. The worst thing that could of happened was getting AFB. (Which by the way was controlled by the removable frame Langstroth hive. AFB prior to removable frames were as high as 50% in some areas, and the basis of most inspection programs years ago. It was a serious matter destroying beekeeping back in it's day. The removable frame (and being able to inspect hives) was why AFB is controlled...even to this day.)
Then we had the introduction of varroa mites, trachea mites, various viral and bacterial issues associated with mites, a new nosema, and now small hive beetle. That does not even scratch the surface in regards to pesticides and the new classes of chemicals out there.
But the Warre crowd sprinkles the conversation with all the key words and talking points, to bash anyone not using a Warre hive, and tailors, or better yet,,,"warps" all information to best fit their ideology.
But how can you claim that the downfall of beekeeping is caused by the Langstroth hive with removable frames and a removable top, and yet claim the root of CCD is chemicals and farming practices. I guess the Warre hive is immune to chemicals. ;)
Anyhow...read the above post. And you can get a sense of the agenda and the promotion of the Warre hive.