Dedicated forum for bee keepers aiming for least intrusive approaches

[Charlottecoleman]

With 15 years of keeping bees under his belt I would hope that the OP has learned something and may have some interesting comments about how he manages to keep his bees ..So, it's in the treatment free section of the forum, although he does not say that he keeps his bees without treatment. Looking at the location County Clare is about as far West as you can get in Ireland and I suspect that it may be a very rural location where he keeps his bees..

So, let's give him some space and see what else he has to say before the usual suspects start to tear him limb from limb. There's room on here for all sorts of beekeeping ..

Philip

Well said!

 

[Rory Fields]

Not sure if it's still active but Phil Chandler used to run such a forum. Think it was under the bio bees banner, but not looked in for a long time so it may possibly be defunct now. Worth a look.

He used to do a podcast too which was decent - I followed him but he's gone all tin hat conspiracy theorist - think he's basically David Icke these days...

 

[Moobee]

Or inferring that this forum is not well moderated - I think, as mods, we are very tolerant and very often just quietly edit out the comments that could be construed as unhelpful - rather than (on some forums) removing members and their posts.

 

[WalnutTreeBees]

I don't know of a forum, but I follow the @oxnatbees blog which often has some interesting insights.

https://oxnatbees.wordpress.com/

 

[rolande]

He used to do a podcast too which was decent - I followed him but he's gone all tin hat conspiracy theorist - think he's basically David Icke these days...

Yes, some of the podcast material was very good.

 

[triscleeire]

Thanks a lot for all the comments. Either the moderators worked very hard or most people are fair enough to allow space.
First of all: I life very rural with mile upon mile of forestry and fields with relatively few neighbours.
I believe that even the most experiences bee keeper only knows a tiny fraction about this amazing animal. Mankind goes to great length trying to solve problems with bees that we created in the first place.
Let in Bee is not a bad approach given that this animal survived for more than 2 million years without us.
Yet I am not totally ignorant or irresponsible and like to assist the bee where I can, hence exchanging experiences and ideas can be very helpful without spending energy on justifying fractions (or lacking same).
I did take about 20 lbs of honey from 2 hives this year in late spring and the two hives have swarmed populating two more empty spaces resulting in there being 4 colonies on site now.
2 of these still have Queen excluders as this was how the hives arrived but I would love to remove them and wonder when is the best time to do that.

 

[Wilco]

Thanks a lot for all the comments. Either the moderators worked very hard or most people are fair enough to allow space.
First of all: I life very rural with mile upon mile of forestry and fields with relatively few neighbours.
I believe that even the most experiences bee keeper only knows a tiny fraction about this amazing animal. Mankind goes to great length trying to solve problems with bees that we created in the first place.
Let in Bee is not a bad approach given that this animal survived for more than 2 million years without us.
Yet I am not totally ignorant or irresponsible and like to assist the bee where I can, hence exchanging experiences and ideas can be very helpful without spending energy on justifying fractions (or lacking same).
I did take about 20 lbs of honey from 2 hives this year in late spring and the two hives have swarmed populating two more empty spaces resulting in there being 4 colonies on site now.
2 of these still have Queen excluders as this was how the hives arrived but I would love to remove them and wonder when is the best time to do that.

If you're set on not having QEs then might as well just remove them now IMO. However, as previously that's not the course I would take. Removing the QEs should give them more laying space until things are backfilled so theoretically could reduce swarming although bees will be bees...

Presumably you reduce dead space in the hive over winter by removing some boxes and consolidating down? I'd recommend considering this if not. Likewise, if you're not using insulation I would recommend looking into it at least for overwintering.

 

[Lislarybees]

I have been keeping bees for more than 15 years now and am well aware of some fundamentally different approaches to bee keeping.
I apologise in advance if my views upset anyone.
This is NOT to start a discussion about bee keeping ("natural" or otherwise) but I would really like to find likeminded people to discuss issues with without being slated by those who do not share the views.
I am aware that those with a less intrusive approach are often accused of neglect, irresponsibility and worse.
My approach is to let the bees do what they want, including building queen cells, swarming and most importantly consuming their own produce. I am not interested in honey. If they leave some for me, grant, else they can have what they produced.
Is there a forum or a part of this forum where likeminded people can exchange experiences?

Not exactly what you are looking for but if you are interested I could get you added to a whattsap group moderated by the Galway Honey Bee Research community based out of NUIG. This is largely a discussion group for monitoring wild and feral colonies around Ireland (and some in the UK). A number of group members have log hives and are interested in less intensively managed beekeeping. PM me if keen

 

[enrico]

Thanks a lot for all the comments. Either the moderators worked very hard or most people are fair enough to allow space.
First of all: I life very rural with mile upon mile of forestry and fields with relatively few neighbours.
I believe that even the most experiences bee keeper only knows a tiny fraction about this amazing animal. Mankind goes to great length trying to solve problems with bees that we created in the first place.
Let in Bee is not a bad approach given that this animal survived for more than 2 million years without us.
Yet I am not totally ignorant or irresponsible and like to assist the bee where I can, hence exchanging experiences and ideas can be very helpful without spending energy on justifying fractions (or lacking same).
I did take about 20 lbs of honey from 2 hives this year in late spring and the two hives have swarmed populating two more empty spaces resulting in there being 4 colonies on site now.
2 of these still have Queen excluders as this was how the hives arrived but I would love to remove them and wonder when is the best time to do that.

It would be interesting to know roughly where you are based, a country or part of a country would be good.
I too would remove the QE whenever you are next in the bees if you don't want them. Remember that it is all very well having swarms every year but that will double your hive count every year and you will have to make a judgement call on forage availability. You are not really just letting the bees get on with it, you are still controlling where they live so some thought and care has to be attachjed to that regards health and prosperity!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It would be interesting to know roughly where you are based, a country or part of a country would be good

Clare? Ireland?

 

[North End Bees]

Clare? Ireland?

As opposed to Clare here in East Anglia

 

[Penninetrader]

Moved to Treatment Free section
This is a beekeeping forum. Having bees in a box and doing nothing with them isn’t really beekeeping but the TF section may have something for you.

One of the largest Beekeepers in the USA, Texas, and now one of the largest suppliers of disease resistant queens also had to overcome the African bee invasion, which started in Texas, may take issue with your response. It is not all in or nothing, there are many ways in between.

 

[Erichalfbee]

One of the largest Beekeepers in the USA, Texas, and now one of the largest suppliers of disease resistant queens also had to overcome the African bee invasion, which started in Texas, may take issue with your response.

They are welcome to come here to discuss it.
I see no issue. Admin won't open up another separate section. I have no control over executive decisions

 

[Penninetrader]

They are welcome to come here to discuss it.
I see no issue. Admin won't open up another separate section. I have no control over executive decisions

If I can find the link to the interview of this chap I think you would find it very informative, he is a trained lawyer who decided to return to the 3 generation family business of bees. He is a very sober chap with deep commitment, he gave a speech at a convention in California to pro beekeepers where he confirmed he had developed varroa and africanisation resistance in his queen breeding program, someone in the audience shouted "Liar" he at that point knew he had done good, he had achieved what he claimed.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

he confirmed he had developed varroa and africanisation resistance

 

[rolande]

If I can find the link to the interview of this chap I think you would find it very informative, he is a trained lawyer who decided to return to the 3 generation family business of bees. He is a very sober chap with deep commitment, he gave a speech at a convention in California to pro beekeepers where he confirmed he had developed varroa and africanisation resistance in his queen breeding program, someone in the audience shouted "Liar" he at that point knew he had done good, he had achieved what he claimed.

Daniel Weaver? Hadn't heard about the law degree, thought he was a biologist, but could be the guy you're thinking of. If it is, I'd be surprised that he'd made a comment about having africanised bee resistance.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

africanised bee resistance.

so, does he realised that 'Africanised bee' is just a hybrid of two bee species, and not a parasite, disease or virus

Hadn't heard about the law degree

with all the mail order 'qualifications' available over there, it could mean much or else, very little' even the Rev. Paisley was bestowed a doctorate that had been found in the bottom of a lucky packet.

 

[rolande]

so, does he realised that 'Africanised bee' is just a hybrid of two bee species, and not a parasite, disease or virus

with all the mail order 'qualifications' available over there, it could mean much or else, very little' even the Rev. Paisley was bestowed a doctorate that had been found in the bottom of a lucky packet.

No question that Weaver knows exactly what an africanised bee is, the question is whether I've got the right person, maybe we'll get a link to the interview being quoted.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

No question that Weaver knows exactly what an africanised bee is

So has he just managed to get his queens to practice safe sex?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Gently gently please everybody

If I can find the link to the interview of this chap

Yes please do before it all gets out of hand because I’m absolutely positive you didn’t really mean Africanised resistant bees.