Dedicated forum for bee keepers aiming for least intrusive approaches

[Penninetrader]

Not disagreeing here, but could you tell us more please? Thanks

Daniel Weaver interview

 

[Swarm]

 

[Beesnaturally]

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.

Anytime at all. If you make them nest across the brood box by simply restricting them to it till the job is about done they'll largely stay. They may dome up into the first lift, but drone comb is generally build in the brood box. Queens like to stay at home.

I've had about 50 hives for 10 years and never used QEs. This is what I've seen.

 

[pargyle]

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

Sadly the OP has not been seen on here since July ... clearly the forum didn't meet his needs. Pity .. but that's the nature of forums, people come and go, some stick around, some drift away - others run away rapidly.

 

[Beesnaturally]

Sadly the OP has not been seen on here since July ... clearly the forum didn't meet his needs. Pity .. but that's the nature of forums, people come and go, some stick around, some drift away - others run away rapidly.

I wonder why the system sent to me after all this time!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

people come and go, some stick around, some drift away - others run away rapidly.

and some you wish would just thin out

 

[pargyle]

I wonder why the system sent to me after all this time!

You must have a notiification set for this thread - it was added to by Swarm today so if you have it as a watched thread with notification then you will get an email ... welcome back.

 

[Penninetrader]

and some you wish would just thin out

names

 

[pargyle]

names

Be careful what you wish for .....

 

[ken in NH]

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?

100% agree! give the bees credit to know what nature wants them to!

 

[ken in NH]

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?

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?

sign me up.

 

[Erichalfbee]

sign me up.

I’ve mentioned this before. Admin won’t allow a separate section so the answer is to set up a blog where members can discuss peacefully. @Swarm has a blog about black bees and it’s very successful
The OP hasn’t looked in since June

 

[Beesnaturally]

sign me up.

And me please

 

[Swarm]

A Treatment Free Beekeeping section already exists, this thread is posted in it.
Feel free to discuss the subject and your experiences here, I always found posts by TF keepers like Levitt53 and Bazzer very interesting and valuable contributions to the forum. I for one would like to hear more from them and others.

 

[Erichalfbee]

A Treatment Free Beekeeping section already exists, this thread is posted in it.

Heavens. So it is. Ooops

 

[Beesnaturally]

A Treatment Free Beekeeping section already exists, this thread is posted in it.
Feel free to discuss the subject and your experiences here, I always found posts by TF keepers like Levitt53 and Bazzer very interesting and valuable contributions to the forum. I for one would like to hear more from them and others.

This doesn't accord with triscleeire's requirement: "I would really like to find likeminded people to discuss issues with without being slated by those who do not share the views."

I don't know why moderators don't get this. Either you moderate to allow people to have civil conversations about (currently) unorthodox beekeeping, or you don't. You guys don't. So the section is dead. That's down to you, pure and simple.

My question is, given that history shows this section cannot be kept free from 'slating' or general disruption, whether a blog would be kept free?

 

[Ely]

This doesn't accord with triscleeire's requirement: "I would really like to find likeminded people to discuss issues with without being slated by those who do not share the views."

I don't know why moderators don't get this. Either you moderate to allow people to have civil conversations about (currently) unorthodox beekeeping, or you don't. You guys don't. So the section is dead. That's down to you, pure and simple.

My question is, given that history shows this section cannot be kept free from 'slating' or general disruption, whether a blog would be kept free?

Give it a go and find out.

 

[Erichalfbee]

My question is, given that history shows this section cannot be kept free from 'slating' or general disruption, whether a blog would be kept free?

Yes. Look at swarm’s. Do you see much disruption there?
Blogs tend to be left alone
I can start one on behalf of @triscleeire and move all the relevant posts over

 

[Penninetrader]

Sticks and stones and all that, I have my say on here without any undue problems. I am well able to stand my ground and have no problem with others of differing views doing the same

 

[ken in NH]

I'm not sure his intent is fully "" treatment free. "" there is some middle ground where varroa is treated, but bees are not robbed of all their honey and fed sugar for winter. trusted to do what needs to be done, and aided in doing it. Inspected, but not interfered with and dictated to. Little friends, not little slaves that know nothing. Beekeeping can be fun. Doesn't have to be hard work.