Treatment Free

[Curly green finger's]

Absolutely true. I am sure that beekeepers who are actively seeking to have resilient bees do their best with that, particularly on the maternal side. They are going to breed from colonies which appear to be less seriously affected by varroa and may terminate a genetic-line which is a disaster. But if they stick to their own bees when doing this they are more likely to maintain other important traits which make their bees successful. It seems that one of the curses of beekeeping is our inability to control the paternal genetic input; it's not something peculiar to those who seek the Holy Grail of varroa-resistant bees. Random gene variations from drones can also bring positive things to the local genepool.

For a newb you are learning quickly far play.

 

[Apple]

Anything above 5 mites in a sugar roll of about 200 bees always worries me a bit .. it's usually 1 or 2 maximum although I've seen occasional sugar rolls give 14 or 15 and those few occasions have had me worried - although large loads like this always reduced very quickly and were just unexplained spikes.

It's quite stressful at times being treatment free ... darn site easier just to get the vapouriser out.

Our problem is a" Master Beekeeper" who by going "treatment free"... is producing Varroa Bombs which reinfest our area...
I can not say any more as I am under a "behave yourself" gagging order from the MODS!!!!

I sublimox when I see a problem!
Chons da

 

[Murox]

I do feel that although many will observe various desirable traits in their own bees, the ability to increase stock bearing those traits is seriously hampered by the inability or unwillingness to collaborate with or utilise any meaningful scientific aid, help or guidance.

I get the impression that some are content to leave much to chance ignoring the flip side of the coin; the unintended variations in the resulting stock from random gene variations of both drones and queen; and when luck does not favour their method the solution is extermination of that stock. Seems to be a waste of effort and genetic material.

 

[seillean mil]

........ when luck does not favour their method the solution is extermination of that stock. Seems to be a waste of effort and genetic material.

I hope I wouldn't ever feel the need to exterminate a whole colony, except in the serious circumstances of a notifiable disease or after my own irresponsible and (I hope) unlikely neglect of proper management .

Killing of a queen is something which I hear of on this forum regularly. If you have a better queen to replace her, that is a simpler and much less wasteful way to delete a line which doesn't express the characteristics you seek.

But I'm sure this is basic stuff to most beekeepers and a treatment-free beekeeper, who has slightly different or additional priorities from a regular beekeeper, doesn't necessarily become someone who dispenses with all of the conventions.

 

[pargyle]

But I'm sure this is basic stuff to most beekeepers and a treatment-free beekeeper, who has slightly different or additional priorities from a regular beekeeper, doesn't necessarily become someone who dispenses with all of the conventions.

I agree - You can't be a beekeeper and dispense completely with the basics of beekeeping ... if you are not prepared to do the things that you need to do then you should not be keeping bees. Take up gardening and plant bee friendly plants ..

 

[Murox]

I agree - You can't be a beekeeper and dispense completely with the basics of beekeeping ... if you are not prepared to do the things that you need to do then you should not be keeping bees. Take up gardening and plant bee friendly plants ..

 

[RichardBeeW]

Certainly from me as far as natural drop is concerned.
You can dislodge feeding mites with a fast acting miticide such as icing sugar or OAV
Watch this its an eye opener

Wow! Thank you for posting that, Dani. I, like most beekeepers I'm guessing, had heard by now that it isn't the bees' haemolymph the Varroa mite is consuming - - but - - having heard, obliquely, that it was the 'fat body' I made the layman's error of thinking 'body fat'. And wow, this is soooo much worse and explains so many of the symptoms and results of heavy Varroa infestation. Thanks so much for sharing, I'll be watching this again (a few times).

 

[Swarm]

Question
Did anyone really think that mites on bees were not parasitising?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I'm not a fan of segregation - we all need to know what the other camp is thinking/doing or we may never find any common ground or get a chance to convert those of a different opinion to our own. People just need to be encouraged to be polite when voicing their disagreement.

Anyone wishing to follow the TF religion can easily access the debate in the
site by entering the appropriate section heading in exactly the same way as they can with general discussion, beginner, hive construction, honey questions etc etc. Those of us who don't wish to wade through the dogma could enjoy a respite.
I'd be supportive of separation of the topic.

 

[BugsInABox]

Anyone wishing to follow the TF religion can easily access the debate in the
site by entering the appropriate section heading in exactly the same way as they can with general discussion, beginner, hive construction, honey questions etc etc. Those of us who don't wish to wade through the dogma could enjoy a respite.
I'd be supportive of separation of the topic.

Although the topics, at least to begin with, are generally obvious by the title. I fear a situation in which a poster, daring to mention TF outside of a bunker, are told to bugger off back to it.
BIAB

 

[Gardeners Beehive Guy]

Wow so much negativity and supposition. I thought the whole idea of forums like this was to help share ideas and possibilities. We asked 30 beekeepers to get involved with this experiment. We gave each three colonies and tracked them monthly for a year. In detail! Instead of the swiping why not get in touch and I will share the results. My email is at the bottom of my BBKA News articles. Or better still come see what we are doing for yourself - my door is open. Contact details as above.

 

[Gardeners Beehive Guy]

So I thought I would impart a little story.

I have a little website tgT can’t be named. But there you will see my beehive and my beekeeping system.

I have some hives that are 10 years + old. They have never been fed. They have never die. In winter or in summer or from disease. They swarm very successfully every year , I’m glad to report. At least three times every year.

But that’s not the story.

So I was call by the area bee inspector for suspected efb. On the farm were my hives and bees for pollination. And in some places. In eye shot apryes of commercial type box hives. So we first inspect the commercial hives but sadly had to destroy all but one. It to had efb. But it was treated and not destroyed. I recon it should have been burnt to.

This was a few years back now.

The following week we inspected my hives. Hive after hive!! Nothing but happy bees!!

So the conclusion at the end!!??

Luck!!

Mmmmmmm !! Really!!??

 

[Swarm]

Yes, really.

 

[Ian123]

Lol can someone just ban the bloke

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Luck!!

Not for the neighbours

 

[ericbeaumont]

Not sure if EU will count as Third Country after Jan?

BFA & DEFRA info. states that in the event of a no deal, we'll become a third country and that queen imports only will be permitted.

 

[Erichalfbee]

So I thought I would impart a little story.

I have a little website tgT can’t be named. But there you will see my beehive and my beekeeping system.

I have some hives that are 10 years + old. They have never been fed. They have never die. In winter or in summer or from disease. They swarm very successfully every year , I’m glad to report. At least three times every year.

But that’s not the story.

So I was call by the area bee inspector for suspected efb. On the farm were my hives and bees for pollination. And in some places. In eye shot apryes of commercial type box hives. So we first inspect the commercial hives but sadly had to destroy all but one. It to had efb. But it was treated and not destroyed. I recon it should have been burnt to.

This was a few years back now.

The following week we inspected my hives. Hive after hive!! Nothing but happy bees!!

So the conclusion at the end!!??

Luck!!

Mmmmmmm !! Really!!??

I have to take issue with this
Please can you explain how your hives can be examined by a bee inspector? You can't take the combs out?

 

[Newbeeneil]

I have to take issue with this
Please can you explain how your hives can be examined by a bee inspector? You can't take the combs out?

Would love a chat with that SBI. Most don't like dealing with castellations in a brood box let alone non removable frames!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Would love a chat with that SBI. Most don't like dealing with castellations in a brood box let alone non removable frames!

But how did they look? With a flexible endoscope?
Me thinks this chap is telling porkies
His video showing you how to harvest honey is the stuff of nightmares.
You take the super off in the day and place it on the ground in front of the hive. In the evening the bees realise they are not in the hive and fly back home when you can then go and retrieve your honey.

 

[madasafish]

So the conclusion at the end!!??

Luck!!

Mmmmmmm !! Really!!??

I note you do not mention the only reason why most people keep hives: Honey

I therefore feel free to assume you don't get any.

That would tie in with your beekeeping style