Treatment Free

[bobthecob]

Ahh I see. Didn't Mr Wright develop the idea for double brood langs ? Have his ideas been adapted for the typical single brood BS national ? Would be interesting to see a thread on that John w.....

 

[Speybee]

Just curious but has anyone tried those Happy Bee floors?
The ones that look like long rollers where any nasties drop through the spaces between the rollers, presumably never to be heard from again?
If you have tried them could you tell us any pros and cons ....well apart from the price

 

[Gardeners Beehive Guy]

Just a note on bee and cell size. Has anyone noticed that your summer bees are a different size to your winter bees. Only fractions. But different shape and size.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Just a note on bee and cell size. Has anyone noticed that your summer bees are a different size to your winter bees. Only fractions. But different shape and size.

No I haven’t. What sort of difference are you talking about?

 

[Gardeners Beehive Guy]

Hello again. The bees that over winter Seem smaller and dumpier than the summer flying bees. Or am I just emagine this.

 

[BugsInABox]

Anecdotally I remember in the spring thinking my first overwintered hives’ fliers seemed smaller than they were the previous autumn.

 

[Buzzlodge]

Hello again. The bees that over winter Seem smaller and dumpier than the summer flying bees. Or am I just emagine this.

Summer bees entering the hive are often carrying nectar and will seem to have bigger abdomens. Winter bees entering the hive have cleansed and are empty.

 

[madasafish]

Our Association zoomed Clive Hudson and his talk on Treatment Free last night. He was a very interesting speaker and very open in answering questions.

If his quoted average yields per hive of 30-40lbs of honey are correct, going TF involves a large penalty in yields . (roughly half my average in a not dissimilar environment)

 

[john w]

Hi Bob I have replied and started a thread under Swarm prevention
john

 

[beeno]

Our Association zoomed Clive Hudson and his talk on Treatment Free last night. He was a very interesting speaker and very open in answering questions.

If his quoted average yields per hive of 30-40lbs of honey are correct, going TF involves a large penalty in yields . (roughly half my average in a not dissimilar environment)

I met two treatment free beeks today who could not overwinter their bees. Expensive business that should not be practiced by hobby beeks.

 

[madasafish]

I met two treatment free beeks today who could not overwinter their bees. Expensive business that should not be practiced by hobby beeks.

He also quoted 499 colonies TF - 104 beekeepers. An average of 5 colonies each.. So no commercial ones ?..

 

[fiat500bee]

He also quoted 499 colonies TF - 104 beekeepers. An average of 5 colonies each.. So no commercial ones ?..

TF would not be workable for commercial beekeepers would it?

 

[beeno]

He also quoted 499 colonies TF - 104 beekeepers. An average of 5 colonies each.. So no commercial ones ?..

Exactly!

 

[pargyle]

I met two treatment free beeks today who could not overwinter their bees. Expensive business that should not be practiced by hobby beeks.

Two swallows don't make a summer ....

I don't think that hobby beekeepers should be discouraged from going treatment free - I've been treatment free since day one and I'm a hobby beekeeper. It's not a path (in hindsight) that I would recommend for a new beekeeper but get a couple of years under your belt - learn the craft and understand your bees (and TF does require some additional effort) and it does not always result in colonies that die out. There are a lot of variables that will govern success or failure as long as you know what to look for in a colony it's feasible. What's the worst that can happen ? You find a colony that continually gets infested and is weakened by varroa ... if it happens you treat and watch the other colonies. If you get lucky and the bees, your surroundings and the general mix of how you look after them result in a colony that survives and thrives without treatment ... it's good. As I've said many times - it's not a path to tread lightly, there are risks and I'm not evangelistic ... but if you want to try - try.

 

[fiat500bee]

Two swallows don't make a summer ....

I don't think that hobby beekeepers should be discouraged from going treatment free - I've been treatment free since day one and I'm a hobby beekeeper. It's not a path (in hindsight) that I would recommend for a new beekeeper but get a couple of years under your belt - learn the craft and understand your bees (and TF does require some additional effort) and it does not always result in colonies that die out. There are a lot of variables that will govern success or failure as long as you know what to look for in a colony it's feasible. What's the worst that can happen ? You find a colony that continually gets infested and is weakened by varroa ... if it happens you treat and watch the other colonies. If you get lucky and the bees, your surroundings and the general mix of how you look after them result in a colony that survives and thrives without treatment ... it's good. As I've said many times - it's not a path to tread lightly, there are risks and I'm not evangelistic ... but if you want to try - try.

Very well said. Pleasingly, for a newbee like me, you are a bit evangelistic.

 

[Speybee]

Two swallows don't make a summer ....

I don't think that hobby beekeepers should be discouraged from going treatment free - I've been treatment free since day one and I'm a hobby beekeeper. It's not a path (in hindsight) that I would recommend for a new beekeeper but get a couple of years under your belt - learn the craft and understand your bees (and TF does require some additional effort) and it does not always result in colonies that die out. There are a lot of variables that will govern success or failure as long as you know what to look for in a colony it's feasible. What's the worst that can happen ? You find a colony that continually gets infested and is weakened by varroa ... if it happens you treat and watch the other colonies. If you get lucky and the bees, your surroundings and the general mix of how you look after them result in a colony that survives and thrives without treatment ... it's good. As I've said many times - it's not a path to tread lightly, there are risks and I'm not evangelistic ... but if you want to try - try.

Question for Pargyle
Seeing you are treatment free, have you ever used the Happy Floor for reducing varroa?

 

[pargyle]

Question for Pargyle
Seeing you are treatment free, have you ever used the Happy Floor for reducing varroa?

No ...I have standard mesh floors in all my hives.

 

[Speybee]

No ...I have standard mesh floors in all my hives.

Thanks for answer as I am tempted to try a happy floor but the cost is a bit excessive.
Will see if Santa will oblige in December.

 

[pargyle]

Very well said. Pleasingly, for a newbie like me, you are a bit evangelistic.

It's a tough path to follow if you are not lucky ... I've been lucky ... you will never find me telling anyone that they should go treatment free ... the choice is there but I'm not insisting anyone follows it.

 

[pargyle]

Thanks for answer as I am tempted to try a happy floor but the cost is a bit excessive.
Will see if Santa will oblige in December.

Mesh floors were originally called varroa floors - the intention was that varroa would drop through and be unable to regain access ... about as much use in this respect as dusting bees with icing sugar -probably less ! I rather feel that the happy floor may be in the same wishful category ... at £52 it is a lot of money and I don't see a lot of evidence that it really works.