Any treatment-free beeks in Central Florida?

[Fullwood]

As my hobby expands, I'm curious if there are any other treatment-free folks nearby? I'm in the Lakeland area. I'd like to get in touch with someone raising nucs or queens in this region. (Polk County area)

[suttonbeeman]

There are plenty of people raising bees in florida...both queens and nucs. However to be treatment free in Florida is almost impossiable. There are thousands of bees brought in from up north for the winter and orange flows and with those numbers of bees unless you are in a isolated area(and if you are it must not be a good bee area)you will have a hard time staying treatment free. Also Florida's climate is perfect for mite reproduction and beetles. good luck you will need alot to remain treatment free and not have dead bee hives.

[psisk]

Suttonbeeman I am in an isolated area according to the state less than one hive per two square miles. Does this mean I have the potential to be treatment free. There are no hives within at least six miles of me in any direction. I am trying to be treatment free but have my doubts. SHB arent a problem but varroa are another thing. We have few if any ferals due to aerial spraying for West Nile and Equine Encephalitus. There is few if any commercial beekeepers in the area because of the pinestraw trade which has led to poisoning of every type vegetation except pine trees. Luckily I live in a three square mile area of privatly held timberland that doesnt employ these tactics. I am at the break point of whether to treat or not as I have some very high mite counts. But temps have been too hight to do anything about it. If I treat it will be with formic acid and nothing that can negatively impact my comb. I dont want to have to rotate out comb as often as is recommended since I am just starting and comb is at a premium.

[Solomon Parker]

What sort of things are you doing already? Small cell, clean wax, natural cell, unlimited broodnest, etc.?

[B Reeves]

I dont treat and havent in 8 years, my first two hives died in the first year, I bought from a beekeeper that treated, then I found B weaver queens, havent looked back, I keep them in full sun, solid bottom board, I dont check for mite load, I dont care, its up to the bees to take care of thier house, they will do it well or the queen will get replaced or pinched off if I dont have a replacement.
But if you think you are going to loose your hive and you dont want to, you need to do whatever you can to keep it, if you remove the queen, you remove the feed source for the mites, or requeen with a Miska queen he is not too far from you

[psisk]

Right now all I have is clean comb. My bees are on plasticell that was uncoated or some that I coated with my own cappings after pulling some honey. I want to got to small cell and all mediums over the next year or so. I havent treated yet but am worried about my mite loads. I guess I will keep doing powdered sugar for now as I have seen no DWV.

[Fullwood]

B Reeves,

I'm in Bradley, FL. About 20 min. from you. Are you interested in selling a nuc or two? I'd like to check out your operation if you have the time. I'm pretty new at this, so I'm trying to get untreated stock to add to my hives and see how other treatment-free folks are doing it.

[AmericasBeekeeper]

We do not treat at USF BG. Stop by some time for the Bee Workshops, third Saturday of every month. We have 40 teaching hives.

[Fullwood]

Thanks, I'll do that.