Keepers who do NOT treat for varroa!

[jimbeekeeper]

Good Evening.

I have just returned from the annual family gathering, one person was a fellow beekeeper.

On asking "how are your hives doing" reply was "don't ask, riddled with varroa".

"what are you doing about it" I ask, Silence was the reply.

Even in this day and age (Internet and the likes) evidently beekeepers still can not even keep-up with simple solutions.

Jim

 

[Widdershins]

...but surely, isnt treating for Varroa once it has a hold, is like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted?

Although, he really should have done something for Varroa...makes me sad.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Did not make myself clear.

I was trying to get across that this beekeeper had done nothing with their hives.

I am not sure of the full extent of the varroa issue, and also as you state Widdershins about the horse and door, is there a point that treatment will have no effect?

Main point is there must be other keepers out there that do very little to help the overall voice of beekeeeping issues by needlessly letting hives get into such a bad sate.

 

[Finman]

.
You have a high dead rate in UK during winter. Vain job to worry about others' beekeeping. They do what they do.

 

[raysa]

If a neighbour's bees are allowed to get heavily invested without treatment, how much does that increase the problem for other bees in the area?

If we hear of a neighbouring apiary being neglected, how concerned should we be?

Ray

 

[jean]

If we hear of a neighbouring apiary being neglected, how concerned should we be?

Ray

If the distance between said apiary and yours is short enough for bees to fly it, you should be VERY concerned.

 

[Finman]

If a neighbour's bees are allowed to get heavily invested without treatment, how much does that increase the problem for other bees in the area?

Not much. What ever it is you must take care your own bees. You have escaped swarms nearby in houses adn in tree holes and they will die in varroa sooner or later. New swarm may come in again.

It is so simple in my country that if somene does not nurse his bees, his hives will be dead in 2 years.

The most dangerous is AFB in abandone hives. I am not worried about varroa at all. It is very easy disease to control. Too much talking about it. It is like symbol of some eveil but it nicely under control.

.

 

[Finman]

you should be VERY concerned.

You will loose your mind if you are concerned all via beekeeping hobby: others' varroa, Bayer, soil, farmers' manure heaps, extinction of 20 000 pollinating species, Chinese honey ...

 

[jimbeekeeper]

It is so simple in my country that if somene does not nurse his bees, his hives will be dead in 2 years.

.

I am not concerned for my bees (they are over 10 miles away), nor would I be if they where my neighbours,Because I manage an treat.

And Dont worry Finnman, I will not loose sleep thinking about it, but if as a beekeeper you do not think this is poor, it reflects bad on you as a beekeeper.

The most dangerous is AFB in abandone hives. I am not worried about varroa at all. It is very easy disease to control. Too much talking about it. It is like symbol of some eveil but it nicely under control.

.

But lack of control of such a simple thing (varroa) makes you think is this hiding something worse?

 

[Poly Hive]

Is this hiding something worse?

Not another paranoid disease thought?

PH

 

[Finman]

I have nursed bees 46 years and had treated varroa 21 years. It is same what you think about my beekeeping

 

[tony350i]

i am all for not treating bees but to pull the plug on chemically keeped bees and not having a plan B doesn't sound like good beekeeping to me.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Jimbeekeeper,
Did you suggest treating within the next few weeks or suggest a trip to his apiary with a bottle of Oxalic Acid (and an invoice for your time?) or was he 'not interested' or maybe too embarrased because he didn't know what to do?

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Jimbeekeeper,
or was he 'not interested' or maybe too embarrased because he didn't know what to do?

Hi Hebeegeebee

Like I said we only know each other through a friend of a friend of a friend etc, and thus meet once per year.

I have offered advice, but as I originally put the silence said it all, combined with some embarrassment. This keeper had no interest in taking about the bees, which I thought odd about beekeepers. Stick them in a room and you would not need the heating on due to the hot air!

I just felt sad (and slightly annoyed) that it had come to this.

I will try and make contact again to help out, they know I am doing quite well, so if I was in there boat I would be asking me for some advice (without sound like a know it all, "in the land of the blind the one eyed man is King)

 

[David P]

I have a suspicion and iI may be wrong , but is this freind of a friend over 50 with lets say 25 odd years experience. It strikes me and it prpbably comes across more strongly on that "other forum". That there is a hard core of old timer beekeeper either unable or unwilling to adapt to the necessities of today. As i have said on the other forum before but it bears repeating "so much knowledge to share and yet so little wisdom"

David

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Unfortunately this time you are not correct David! This keeper is, Female, 40ish, and been keeping bees less than 2 years.I think other family comitments take priority.

But David I completely understand what you say about the old stuck in their ways people, but there are a few that break the mould.

Jim

 

[Polyanwood]

I have an experienced beek friend who shares his apiaries with a pair of beautiful beekeepers who are into nature and all things green. They seem easy going and relaxed. So far so good. They are always late, do not have their equipment ready when they need it, do not follow proper hygiene precautions, or a proper inspection regime, their bees always swarm and their colonies are what my children would call "minging". The boxes are heavily propilysed with lots of brace comb and sometimes the frames break when they try to take them out. You see wax moth, lots of varroa, and robbing. They say they don't mind compromising their yield in order to have a more natural product.

The experienced beek is stressed because everytime one of their colonies dies, the stragglers with their heavy load of mites try to move in with his well managed bees. Poor bloke.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

I have an experienced beek friend who shares his apiaries with a pair of beautiful beekeepers .....Poor bloke.

May be he is happy

 

[Polyanwood]

Ha, ha, ha. To be honest that is what I would have thought, but no he isn't happy. He would prefer minging beekeepers with beautifully managed bees.

 

[grizzly]

Jimbeekeeper,
suggest a trip to his apiary with a bottle of Oxalic Acid

I have been on the scrounge today for some mixed OA as thornes is shut, and Alarmingly when i spoke with a member of the local Association i was told he does not know of any members who use it !!.

Is OA treatment a new thing ? and is it really necessary if you are going dust in spring anyway ?

I have to say that i was a little miffed, here am i, a newbie to the hobby doing my best to keep disease and mites to a minimum, but those who keep their colonys less than a mile or two from me appear to be less bothered.