No Varroa

[Chris Luck]

Having failed as always to accept that I keep bees without treatment and without varroa related losses, perhaps you could answer my simple question Finman.

How many hives?

AND does this make you better than a two,three hive bee-keeper?

Anyone can simply trash other peoples experience and views by making nonsensical posts but it does nothing to enhance your credibility.

Chris

BTW Dishmop, when I first arrived on this forum I was told by the forum know it alls that a colony couldn't live more than two years without treatments, which is as you say "bollocks".

 

[Vramin]

I was taught that varroa is the number one problem in beekeeping today. We were told to monitor and treat when appropriate. FERA says so, the bee inspectors say so, my mentor and instructors do too. Perhaps some lucky individuals are varroa-free, but it remains a serious issue for most of us.

When I monitored last year I had very low drop. Treated late August anyway and counted 3000 drop over the month. I have no doubt whatsoever that my colony would have been severely weakened had I not treated.

I respect Finman's opinion more than most.

 

[Dishmop]

BTW Dishmop, when I first arrived on this forum I was told by the forum know it alls that a colony couldn't live more than two years without treatments,

I was afraid to say I didnt treat.

 

[Chris Luck]

I was taught that varroa is the number one problem in beekeeping today. We were told to monitor and treat when appropriate. FERA says so, the bee inspectors say so, my mentor and instructors do too. Perhaps some lucky individuals are varroa-free, but it remains a serious issue for most of us.

When I monitored last year I had very low drop. Treated late August anyway and counted 3000 drop over the month. I have no doubt whatsoever that my colony would have been severely weakened had I not treated.

I respect Finman's opinion more than most.

It is as you say what you have been taught, personally I prefer my own experience, that I know is real.

Sorry, must be clear, my colonies do have the dreaded mite, I just don't treat them.

Chris

 

[Dishmop]

I have no doubt whatsoever that my colony would have been severely weakened had I not treated.

I cant argue with that because its what you have been taught.
My arguement is with being told that my bees will die if I dont treat them. I havent and they didnt. I have three hives and a nuc from what was a very small swarm (probably cast) that drifted into an unassembled hive in the garden, into which I was going to put a nuc I had bought.

 

[Dishmop]

Sorry, must be clear, my colonies do have the dreaded mite, I just don't treat them.

Chris

How many? How often do you count them?

 

[Chris Luck]

How many? How often do you count them?

Ni idea, it doesn't interest me but on the odd occasion I see a bee or three with chewed wings, that's all and DWV a couple of times but they got over it.

Chris

 

[Dishmop]

I wonder sometimes if bees that have been kicked out get their wings chewed and this is mistakenly diagnosed as DWV.

This last week I have noticed a nuc which is a split (it does have the queen) has (had) been kicking out lots of drones and not treating them very kindly. The parent hive shows no signs of doing the same tho.

 

[Finman]

So if you had "mite resistant" hives you would still treat them to increase the honey yield?

It is time to you change medication.You argue with yourself.

.

 

[Ben90]

Ben I hope you are treating or seriously considering it as that sounds bad to me.

I'm putting MAQS strips on this wednesday. The colony is strong enough though, apart from the odd DWV worker. But I'd like to keep them that way.

They've produced a lot of drones lately, so I'm pretty sure I know what's caused it. Time to nip it in the bud.

 

[Dishmop]

It is time to you change medication.You argue with yourself.

.

Another useless answer.

I just read a research from France where it was compared treated hives and mite resistant hives.

Treated hives got 100% better yield.
. So do I take 40 kg honey or 80 kg honey per hive.
That is why professionals do not use varria resistant bees. They are miserable honey foragers.
It is said every where.

You arent worth arguing with if you want to promote crap like that and then try to make everybody here out to be idiots.
What that says is that because "mite resistant " bees produce less honey, the way to solve that problem is to treat them with chemicals.
No other explaination. Is that why you treat your bees without knowing if they have mites or not? You arent actually doing anything for honeybee health are you.

 

[user 6228]

Given bee colonies are on a yearly cycle whereas varroa are on a 10 cycle you can change the varroa characteristics much faster than bees. So it makes more likely to breed more bee friendly varroa than hygienic bees.
This fast breeding cycle of varroa must mean that each beek is changing their varroas characteristics with their practices.

 

[Dishmop]

This fast breeding cycle of varroa must mean that each beek is changing their varroas characteristics with their practices.

Logical. Survival of the fittest. Natural.

 

[mbc]

I have watched ants removing varroa so I know it happens even watched one wrestling with a live varroa once and that was fun.

Is this the new country pursuit now badger baiting is slightly frowned upon ?

 

[Dishmop]

Mite Bee.

 

[mbc]

Mite Bee.

Are you sure it wouldnt be ant i social ?

 

[Chris Luck]

I wonder sometimes if bees that have been kicked out get their wings chewed and this is mistakenly diagnosed as DWV.

This last week I have noticed a nuc which is a split (it does have the queen) has (had) been kicking out lots of drones and not treating them very kindly. The parent hive shows no signs of doing the same tho.

Chewed wings and DWV are completely different, it would be hard to confuse them.

How many occupied hives Finman?

Chris, no medication needed here, 100% fighting fit.

 

[Chris Luck]

I'm putting MAQS strips on this wednesday. The colony is strong enough though, apart from the odd DWV worker. But I'd like to keep them that way.

They've produced a lot of drones lately, so I'm pretty sure I know what's caused it. Time to nip it in the bud.

Strangely enough colonies do produce a lot of drones prior to and during the swarming season even after their own colony has swarmed.

Chris

 

[Dishmop]

Chewed wings and DWV are completely different, it would be hard to confuse them.

might not to a newbie.

 

[Ben90]

might not to a newbie.

It's definitely DWV, they have all of the other telltale signs, like discoloured and paralysed legs, stumpy abdomens, etc.