Do you pre-treat? (Fumagilian-B? Terramycin?)

[VirginiaMan]

I'm ordering all my "bee-stuff" to start this exciting new hobby of bee-keeping - My question is: Do you pre-treat for for diseases and/or pests? If so..... what do you use? How often? Why? And........ Why do you think there is so much differing views on pre-teating? - Thank you all - You all have been sooooo helpful to a newbie! You all are G-R-E-A-T !!!!

[HONEYDEW]

Welcome, for my hives I do not treat for diseases unless there are signs of sickness, much in the same way you don't take cold meds. or antibiotics if you are healthy...Now as far as mites, I have tried to not do any treatments and that has not worked to well, so I will be treating for mites from now on or until I am enlightened by the next new thing in mite control....This is just my way others will have diff. ways guaranteed... Oh and also, If you are buying nucs or package bees they will more than likely already be treated for the spring meds.

[johng]

I would have to agree with honeydew. I went to Bee College last year put on by the University of Florida and they advised not to pre treat with terra. Keep a check on mites and treat when they reach the economic threshold which for Fl. is 50-60 mites in a 24hr natural drop check.

[camero7]

I only treat in response to problems.

[rrussell6870]

Can't really add to the great responses that you have already received... study up on alcohol/either wash testing methods and keep an eye on things... treat from necessity, not from habit... EXCEPT for SHB... get traps, or whatever you can find that suits your style... start the SHB control methods right away..."fight off the lions in the field, not in the bedroom".

[rrussell6870]

my wife just brought it to my attention that I had mis-quoted my father in that last post! and that it could be taken wrongly... lol.

To correct myself..."fight off the lions in the yard, not in the house." Although, I guess it works eitherway...

[Michael Bush]

I do not pre post or otherwise treat. I have never used Fumagilian or fumidil. I have not used Terramycin since the mid 1970s.

[justin]

i planned not to pre treat for anything, but i started off using used equipment and have seen more foulbrood than i expected so i am treating with tylan. i also used fumadil b this fall since i was wintering with someone elses bees inside and he asked me to. i am scorching my boxes and culling frames but i may have to treat for foulbrood indefinatly. justin

[khaas15]

I only have one hive (for now), so it's easy for me to treat. I did treat for mites and saw a significant drop. I also fed with Fumagilian syrup in the fall (supers off) and insullated my hive. So far my bees are doing well.

For what it's worth, my buddy and I bought two hives together. He didn't treat with anything and didn't insullate. His hive died out. Not at all a scientific study, but non-the-less he may be doing a little more next year to take care of his bees.

[arcowandbeegirl]

I moved my bees to a screened bottom board with a freeman shb trap under it, but before filling with oil, I put in a sticky board to do a mite count. Left it for 3 days and then came back and pulled it out. After counting, only found 5 mites. I would encourage you to check your mite levels, as others have said. I am new to beekeeping also. I am in the process of feeding Fumagilian, only because our state bee inspector recommened it. Also have grease patties on the hives.

[Barry]

Why did your inspector tell you to treat with it?

[Brent Bean]

I don’t take meds when I’m not sick, it has worked out well for the bees as well.

[arcowandbeegirl]

The state inspector said she had seen such a high incidence of it, she was going to treat her own hives, so that is why I am also.

[Barry]

So she said she is going to treat her own hives, not based on what she is finding with her own bees, but because bees belonging to someone else needed treating?! And now you are going to treat based off of someone else's decision that is based off someone else's bees.

I guess this is how "pre-treatment" works.

[camero7]

And a great way to ensure that bees become immune to the treatment.