Treatment Free

[Hivemaker.]

The ones in the study were on solid floor with mesh placed above.

Wouldn't be much point in placing the mesh below a solid floor would there.

 

[stevebrowning]

I work solely as a Beefarmer and have no other form of income, there's no way I could risk not treating! This years treatment was biowar and will be oxalic vape. I've just filled bucket number 530 and still have borage to extract and buckets of slop to process, God knows what my harvest would be if I didn't treat! Everything is wooden hives and solid floors if that's of interest to anyone.

 

[B+.]

I work solely as a Beefarmer and have no other form of income, there's no way I could risk not treating! This years treatment was biowar and will be oxalic vape. I've just filled bucket number 530 and still have borage to extract and buckets of slop to process, God knows what my harvest would be if I didn't treat! Everything is wooden hives and solid floors if that's of interest to anyone.

I find this all a little disappointing. There is a huge amount of work going into developing varroa tolerance, yet, those of you who are beefarmers seem determined to persevere with treating.
My second observation is that, in nature, bees suspend their combs from the roof in a cavity (or some sheltered place) with no floor. Any debris falls away from the cluster. A solid floor seems in conflict with the way they evolved.

 

[domino]

I find this all a little disappointing. There is a huge amount of work going into developing varroa tolerance, yet, those of you who are beefarmers seem determined to persevere with treating.

Why would they need to change, if they have a system that allows them to earn a living?

 

[Hivemaker.]

yet, those of you who are beefarmers seem determined to persevere with treating.

Perhaps for the same ITLD mentions.

We don't claim to be treatment free in any shape or form ourselves (that way to the bankruptcy court)

 

[Finman]

My second observation is that, in nature, bees suspend their combs from the roof in a cavity (or some sheltered place) with no floor. Any debris falls away from the cluster. .

In nature varroa kills all colonies. New swarms substitute dead colonies.

And varroa kills mesh floor colonies too. When you look varroa treatment methods, mesh floor is not in the list any more.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Wouldn't be much point in placing the mesh below a solid floor would there.

No point putting it above either

 

[Beefriendly]

I find this all a little disappointing. There is a huge amount of work going into developing varroa tolerance, yet, those of you who are beefarmers seem determined to persevere with treating.

Can't blame them...the cost of treatment is far cheaper than buying in VSH queens for each hive that will then not breed true for any future queens.
VSH breeding has becomes proof of principle but it is not a game changer.
It's all a bit academic anyway as the VSH queens are not available in commercial quantities...a point I have made many times.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I find this all a little disappointing. There is a huge amount of work going into developing varroa tolerance, yet, those of you who are beefarmers seem determined to persevere with treating.

Because letting the bees die just to satisfy your obsession would bankrupt them.
Maybe if you made your magical bees freely available to all, they might consider it

Why would they need to change, if they have a system that allows them to earn a living?

 

[B+.]

Perhaps for the same ITLD mentions.

That's what I mean: disappointing. As in: why are we putting all this effort into developing something that beefarmers seem to be saying they don't want. Is it for beginners? I hardly think so. Beginners (if the evidence of this forum is anything to go by) either do what they are told (by their association) or seek to emulate large scale beefarmers

 

[Hivemaker.]

There are places trying to sell large numbers of queens at a reasonable price, 25 euros each, although these queens are f1's from resistant breeders, 500 euros, and even those only lasted two years before collapsing in a heavy busy commercial setting.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

That's what I mean: disappointing. As in: why are we putting all this effort into developing something that beefarmers seem to be saying they don't want.

Maybe you need to put more effort in - produce a bee that actually is resistant (or a variety people want).
Or is it another chimera?

 

[Beefriendly]

why are we putting all this effort into developing something that beefarmers seem to be saying they don't want.

That is a very good question and one I have put to you several times. Where is this going?

 

[Eyeman]

I find this all a little disappointing. There is a huge amount of work going into developing varroa tolerance, yet, those of you who are beefarmers seem determined to persevere with treating.
My second observation is that, in nature, bees suspend their combs from the roof in a cavity (or some sheltered place) with no floor. Any debris falls away from the cluster. A solid floor seems in conflict with the way they evolved.

It's not about going cold turkey and not treating it's treating when necessary. Some degree of hygienic behaviour would / should reduce the number of treatments needed? How may beefarmers monitor mite counts?

 

[B+.]

Maybe you need to put more effort in - produce a bee that actually is resistant (or a variety people want).
Or is it another chimera?

You make me laugh! So childish!

 

[mbc]

Wouldn't be much point in placing the mesh below a solid floor would there.

Lol, but funnily enough I've done exactly that with some floors to stop rodents chewing through correx boards.

 

[Murox]

................My second observation is that, in nature, bees suspend their combs from the roof in a cavity (or some sheltered place) with no floor. Any debris falls away from the cluster. A solid floor seems in conflict with the way they evolved.

Following that line of thinking a little - bees build downwards - so why on earth do most conventional keepers add supers, rather than follow bees lead and logic and nadir ?

 

[Beefriendly]

Following that line of thinking a little - bees build downwards - so why on earth do most conventional keepers add supers, rather than follow bees lead and logic and nadir ?

Simple observation shows bees always have stores above the brood...or at worst in an arc around the top of them brood. Supers above is following the bees own instincts.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You make me laugh! So childish!

And your little paddy because not everyone is jumping on to your particular hobby horse isn't?

 

[B+.]

And your little paddy because not everyone is jumping on to your particular hobby horse isn't?

Maybe in your world that was a paddy. In mine, it was merely an observation