Beekeeper since 1982.

[jrmace1]

Theres need to go off in a huff - theres no malice in this entire thread.
Posting an idea is like putting a lump of something /whatever across the frame tops - the bees will investigate and let you know if it's any good.

Be aware the cynics of this forum in particular are never reticent even by beekeepers protocol

Btw
You've thrashed around in your indignation and made the holes even bigger!

After 15 years of usage it's no theory. If others deny or insult then why publish? Either accept and try or keep boosting the profits of the varoa strip manufacturers.

 

[jrmace1]

How often do you treat your colonies?

Always when autumn feeding, spring (this week all hives treated) and occasionally throughout the honey season if there is no nectar arriving.

 

[JamezF]

North Sea, Dead Sea, Sargasso Sea or Mediterranean Sea? (Add to list as required)

Phallus Sea?

James

 

[jrmace1]

Up your own sea, James. Are you a comedian or just a cynic?.Bye bye, James.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

How often do you treat your colonies?

how often do they die?

 

[jrmace1]

The colonies don't die. They over winter very successfully. If you mean how long does each bees survive ... last year each colony had 5 honey supers on each hive so the honeybees were numerous. I keep 1 deep brood plus 1 super brood below the queen excluder, WBC hives

 

[Wilco]

It seems very much that if someone posts something that's not agreed with them seem to get ridiculed, at the very worst a bit of salt will do no harm and if it does work to some extent great.
There are a lot of good homeopathic out there that I use daily will cattle and while the might struggle with a major infection they do quite well with minor infections.
Maybe if there are low levels of mite the salt could be enough to keep them at bay where as a more serve infection of them might need a stronger treatment.

In fairness I think a lot of it is light hearted.

What the OP is talking about is not homeopathy, homeopathy is a repeatedly disproven area which relies on two premises:
1. Like cures like
2. The more dilute the substance is, the more potent the effect.

Both of these can be very obviously shown to be wrong but as I said, the OP is not referring to homeopathy. I suppose the idea might be classed under herbal medicine.

Often with things like homeopathy there is a lot of confirmation bias. Cows are pretty robust and deal with many minor (and some significant) infections very well by themselves. If you are giving homeopathic medications to them then how do you (you personally) know that it is definitely that having the effect and not that they would recover anyway?

Additionally, from a legal perspective (assuming you're in the UK) - make sure anything you're giving to animals for medicinal purposes is prescribed by a vet or it's illegal and obviously there's the whole topic of withdrawal periods and banned substances in FPA (irrelevant with homeopathy IMO as it's so dilute there's none of the original substance remaining, but it's still a legal consideration).

 

[JamezF]

Up your own sea, James. Are you a comedian or just a cynic?

Both or either, depending on the needs of the hour.

I also have a fair understanding of how one properly goes about testing whether a treatment might be efficacious rather than just fooling oneself into incorrectly believing something works. Repeating a hypothesised treatment over and over and getting a result you expect just doesn't wash. Not even remotely.

James

 

[pargyle]

After 15 years of usage it's no theory. If others deny or insult then why publish? Either accept and try or keep boosting the profits of the varoa strip manufacturers.

Always when autumn feeding, spring (this week all hives treated) and occasionally throughout the honey season if there is no nectar arriving.

I think what you need to do is stop responding to the naysayers ... if you don't respond they will give up

I don't treat my bees for varroa... I haven't done for 10 years ... what I do works for me in my location. I don't try to convince others that my methods work although I know they do. I'm largely in the same boat as you - I'm delighted that the method you have described works for you and I'm sure there are a few open minds who may try it - the problem you may face on here is that you are, currently, in a minority of one - nobody else (and I've been on here a good few years) to my knowledge has ever suggested sea salt as a varroacide. It's a public forum, lightly moderated but you can expect people to call a spade a spade so a slightly thick skin is needed if you bring something contentious or otherwise untried to the forum.

I use dowsing to site my beehives on lines of energy - the forum erupts whenever it is mentioned with those who don't accept seeking to find every reason known to dispute that dowsing is legtimate. Do I care ? Not a lot - it works for me ... anyone can try it but I'm not suggesting they have to.

I accept that you have had success and I would hope that other forum members will also accept that, in your case, your location, your hives and your bees it has worked for you. Tell us a bit more about your beekeeping, what hives you use, how you husband your bees generally and you may find, like me, that your methods are accepted alongside your ability as a beekeeper. If people follow your path, that's fine.., if they don't- well the way for you to look at it is that it is their loss.

This forum is a wonderfully diverse place, there are all sorts of ideas, knowledge and innovations being continually discussed - some good, some not so good. Join in, widen your posts to other threads and with the number of years you have kept bees I feel sure you must have some good advice to offer those who arrive here with less experience (and often in some difficulty).

 

[The Poot]

Is there an issue with boiling syrup to feed the bees, whether it has salt or not? I thought overheating syrup caused nasties?

 

[JamezF]

Additionally, from a legal perspective (assuming you're in the UK) - make sure anything you're giving to animals for medicinal purposes is prescribed by a vet or it's illegal

That had also crossed my mind.

James

 

[JamezF]

Is there an issue with boiling syrup to feed the bees, whether it has salt or not? I thought overheating syrup caused nasties?

There's an issue with overheating sugars in a solution which is acidic because it can increase the amount of HMF, but I'm not sure that would apply in this instance. I don't know if salt water is acidic. My son probably would, but he's not out of bed yet

James

 

[jrmace1]

In fairness I think a lot of it is light hearted.

What the OP is talking about is not homeopathy, homeopathy is a repeatedly disproven area which relies on two premises:
1. Like cures like
2. The more dilute the substance is, the more potent the effect.

Both of these can be very obviously shown to be wrong but as I said, the OP is not referring to homeopathy. I suppose the idea might be classed under herbal medicine.

Often with things like homeopathy there is a lot of confirmation bias. Cows are pretty robust and deal with many minor (and some significant) infections very well by themselves. If you are giving homeopathic medications to them then how do you (you personally) know that it is definitely that having the effect and not that they would recover anyway?

Additionally, from a legal perspective (assuming you're in the UK) - make sure anything you're giving to animals for medicinal purposes is prescribed by a vet or it's illegal and obviously there's the whole topic of withdrawal periods and banned substances in FPA (irrelevant with homeopathy IMO as it's so dilute there's none of the original substance remaining, but it's still a legal consideration).

Where I live sheep are next to my hives. Salt licks are put by farmers for the sheep. It's pure salt and needed by sheep. Watch the bees, they too are seen on these sheep salt licks.

 

[JamezF]

Where I live sheep are next to my hives. Salt licks are put by farmers for the sheep. It's pure salt and needed by sheep. Watch the bees, they too are seen on these sheep salt licks.

How is that relevant?

James

 

[jrmace1]

There's an issue with overheating sugars in a solution which is acidic because it can increase the amount of HMF, but I'm not sure that would apply in this instance. I don't know if salt water is acidic. My son probably would, but he's not out of bed yet

James

Lazy bugger. My son should be over in India helping the UK economy but he has taken a months holiday and gone to the south of France. Much smile it's colder than here and it's also cloudy.

 

[pargyle]

Is there an issue with boiling syrup to feed the bees, whether it has salt or not? I thought overheating syrup caused nasties?

That had also crossed my mind.

James

Been discussed a few years ago ..

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/hmf-and-making-up-syrup.35255/

 

[Wilco]

Is there an issue with boiling syrup to feed the bees, whether it has salt or not? I thought overheating syrup caused nasties?

I've heard this but can't think why. (EDIT: see above posts on HMF, thanks @JamezF and @pargyle). The melting point of sugar is well above that of water. I've had bigger issues when there's a chunk of sugar at the bottom of a pan getting caramelised but not the syrup boiling. However, getting it boiling is usuing more energy than necessary so there's a cost argument there!

 

[jrmace1]

LOL when you make jam the contents needs to be increased to 114C ( 14C above boiling point) to crystallise sugar into jam. Jam has a greater sugar content than bee syrup. If jam contains all those ' nasties' then humanity would have died out when jam became a favourite commodity.

 

[Wilco]

LOL when you make jam the contents needs to be increased to 114C ( 14C above boiling point) to crystallise sugar into jam. Jam has a greater sugar content than bee syrup. If jam contains all those ' nasties' then humanity would have died out when jam became a favourite commodity.

Crystallise? My jams usually don't have crystals...

 

[The Poot]

LOL when you make jam the contents needs to be increased to 114C ( 14C above boiling point) to crystallise sugar into jam. Jam has a greater sugar content than bee syrup. If jam contains all those ' nasties' then humanity would have died out when jam became a favourite commodity.

I meant nasties for bees, not humans.