Varroa

[Finman]

By treating we aren't giving European bees the chance to become varroa tolerant, ?

It does not go that way.

There are enough wilderness in Europe (not in Britain) where bees live wild on huge areas. Natural selection is really harsch on those areas, which do not get much home breeded swarms and genes.

That is the way how mite resistant genes have been found.

"We do not give" is too much said. What we do, has nothing to do with varroa tolerancy. It goes its own way.

When you put into google "varroa tolerant bee" or resistancy or something, you will see how long professional beekeepers have done that work.

First the work needs skill. Second it needs money to sacrifice hundreds of hives to researching. If you have no skills, no one gives you money for that work.

In all over the world guys have made breeding work for mite tolerant bee strains. You need not invent the idea every year.

Project have been over 20 years, it means the time what varroa has been in prominent beekeeping countries.


There are much varroa tolerant bee strains too, which actually are not tolerant. When queens have been moved to another place, they have lost the tolerancy.



Britain is impossible place to breed tolerant bees because you have huge amount of "normal hives" You have not such mite pressure which force the nature to pick up resistant genes. You have more than enough escaped swarms on air that nature has no lack of bees.

In France there is a famous Kefuss -bee , which is said very tolerant but furious to nurse.

http://www.meamcneil.com/John Kefuss Keeping Bees That Keep Themselves.pdf

 

[pargyle]

By treating we aren't giving European bees the chance to become varroa tolerant, but we may be perpetuating varroa that are resistant to all forms of treatment. For example, thymol-based varroacides don't kill all the varroa within a hive. Those that survive could be somehow immune to the effects of thymol. We already know varroa can quickly build up resistance to synthetic pyrethroids, so why do we assume they won't become resistant to anything else because it's plant-based?

Well ... I for one am trying ... despite the noise from some quarters I take the view that the best thing for the bees is whatever the bees take into the hives themselves ... I appear to be virtually free of varroa and I'm giving my bees the chance to see if they can manage themselves ... they certainly look very healthy and they are a big colony.

The balanced view has to be that continual assessment for varroa followed by either no treatment or appropriate levels of treatment is the way forward. I also share DerekM's view that heat and humidity play some part in reducing varroa numbers and hive insulation - lots of it - has a place in IPM. The original post with David Heaf's view is thought provoking and I would suggest that there are many on here who would agree with his philosophy.

Finny will never be convinced and just wages this war of words every time the subject is mentioned .. I am sure his method works, for him and perhaps for many others - but, it doesn't mean that it's the ONLY way going forward - although he would argue that it is.

 

[Finman]

but, it doesn't mean that it's the ONLY way going forward - although he would argue that it is.

Do as you like.

"Finny will never be convinced and just wages this war of words every time the subject is mentioned "

So I do. I have so much practical experience. You 2-hive owners, which have not even seen a mite, you offer the way which will surely kill the hives. It is called "do nothing" or "let it be"

Why you do that?

Evolution helps- oh my godmesh.

Like one guys said to me 5 years ago in this forum: "Let them kill their hives. I sell them new nucs in Spring."

And please Pargyle, when you have some opinion, would you please read first from google what others have done during last 10 years. Older knowledge is too old to read. NO need to invent your own system from air

I have done this 7 years in British forum when guys have said that it is against the law, you cannot use digital balance. do that and that

And last times I have encouraged beeks to measure water by themselves.
.

Thanks to heaven: Guys do not offer any more small cell system for varroa. It was a secret weapon 5 years ago.


Now they offer letters Matthew 6:26-30 as varroa treatment:

Look at the birds in the sky! They don’t plant or harvest. They don’t even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren’t you worth more than birds?



.

.

 

[VEG]

Anyone else getting that déjà vou. feeling


Craig

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

"Let them kill their hives. I sell them new nucs in Spring."

Given the substantial chance of losing my colony, I've already ordered the new nuc to avoid a painful decision, and to have a decent chance at no longer being a one-hive wonder. Expensive but maybe I can recoup it later.

 

[Tom Bick]

Anyone else getting that déjà vou. feeling


Craig

Yes.

Please let's close this thread now. We have had a few good pages but its time to stop it now.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Anyone else getting that déjà vou. feeling


Craig

you can say that again